This Rainy Day is Temporary
by KimberlySan
Summary: Collection of drabbles/short stories that people have given me prompts for. Its centered around Gru and Lucy, but the girls have roles too. If you want to send me a prompt feel free to PM me. (GruxLucy love/fluff; Grucy & Family-type love/fluff with the girls.) Update: This has gotten so big! Thank you all my followers and reviewers!
1. Ring

_**So, on my tumblr account I have been obsessing over Grucy. I had people give me prompts, so I figured I should share them here too. These are just a collection of small pieces, not a long story. - In case you wish to follow me.**_

_**This one I had the idea for. **_

_**Ring**_

The past 24 hours of Lucy's life had been a whirlwind. When she woke up early yesterday morning in a fancy hotel room, she had still been Lucy Wilde of the A.V.L. Now she sat first class on a huge plane headed to Australia for her honeymoon as Lucy Gru; wife to the notorious ex-villain and loving father.

Her husband (she was still getting used to just thinking that word) was quietly napping next to her, after graciously giving her the window seat. It gave her an opportunity to observe him better. Not that she hadn't spent enough time with him, over a hundred dates later and she knew more about him than anyone else she'd ever met. But this was a little different. This was her -husband-.

That familiar tinge of excitement ran into the pit of her stomach. To relax herself fingers twisted together in a manner that used to focus her nerves elsewhere. When suddenly she felt the new weight of a wedding ring. It was thicker than her engagement one. Gru knew how she enjoyed some of the more simple things in life so the not-so-over-the-top engagement ring had a round diamond with a thinner silver band. But the hulking one he had slipped on next to it just yesterday afternoon was giant compared to it.

Not sure how long she had been just staring at her left hand, she jumped when Gru's hand suddenly took hers and tugged it closer. Emerald eyes glanced into his blue, his happy expression mixed with the sleepiness of his recent nap.

"Oh!" Those nerves of Lucy's seemed to haste. "Go back to sleep, it's still a long flight to down under!" She applied that accent she had been working on with the last two words, then grinned.

"What es bothering you?" Gru spoke calmly while his fingers held that hand in a loose grip.

Lucy blinked a few times, the tilt of her head making her eyes look to that hand he held. "That ring.. did you pick it out?"

Adjusting himself in the larger seat Gru opened his fingers to just let hers rest on his palm. "No." He simply stated, before the index finger of his left hand touched the silver band she wore. "Dis was my grandmothers. Only thing I recall from her." While he spoke, Lucy found herself just watching his face, not the ring anymore. He didn't seem sad as he spoke of his relative but something else seemed to linger there. "If you don't like et, we'll get you a new one the minute we get back."

A sudden possessive nature took her as she pulled her left hand back, cradling it in her right. "Absolutely not!" Lucy put on a wonderful smile. "This is perfect, Gru. I love it. And you!"

Gru grinned, before leaning his head back to sleep a bit more. His hand reached out to take hers again which she gladly gave. "I love you too."


	2. Pregnant

_**Pregnant**_

Lucy felt herself ready to faint. The dizzy, overwhelming feeling came over her the instant she saw that little blue line show up. No wonder she had been feeling sick.. she thought it had been that new restaurant she and Gru went to last weekend on their weekly date night; but nope.

She was pregnant.

"Lucy?" The sound of Margo's voice carried into the hall bathroom.

The new mother (well biologically) thew the stick back in its box and then stuffed it in the pharmacy bag. Then wrapped it up with a towel. All while she was trying to sound normal. "Hey sweetie! Sorry I'll be out in a second!" Another towel maybe? Hurriedly she kept the evidence wrapped up and went to open the door, looking down at the new teen with a very wide smile. "Was just um..getting laundry, yeah that's it."

Margo gave her a look of skepticism. Of course Lucy looked a mess with her hair down, her pajamas still on at one in the afternoon and a flush on her cheeks. "Are you feeling alright? It's like.. the fourth morning you've been sick!"

"Bad fish I'd suspect..." she kneeled down, her eyes darting back and forth as if they were being spied on. "I think someone's hunting your dad and me..."

"Lucy..." the girl crossed her arms. "As if. Tell me what's going on!"

The past year of marriage had been a very eventful one as far as growing closer to Gru's girls, so Lucy knew that once Margo had an idea in her mind she didn't give up. In fact she learned that the hard way when she was trying to be supportive to Gru and refused the girl a group trip to the mall that included boys. It only ended with Lucy having to play spy for a night with her husband. Not to say she didn't enjoy that rush again.

Lucy was about to cave in, her voice lowering to a whisper and her eyes staring into Margo's with a very serious stare. "..I...I just found out that I am pr—"

"There you are!"

The redhead almost screamed right there, but popped back up so quickly in shock that the bundle of towels fell down at her and Margo's feet. Gru approached with a mild look of concern. He likely had been down in his lab for the most of the morning, just now looking for his wife. "You're still feeling unwell?"

"Its.. That fish!" Her right hand pushed out, index finger drawn up to point at… well nothing. Dramatically she gave a sigh. "I refuse to eat there anymore, Gru!"

"..Food poisoning shouldn't last this long, Lucy."

"What are you, a doctor?" That was a bit unusual for Lucy. She never snapped at people, let alone her husband. Instantly she regretted it by the way he looked at her. "I mean, it's just. I know my body. And if I say it's the fish then it's the-"

"YOU'RE PREGNANT?!"

A dead silence came across the room. Very slowly Lucy looked down to the girl at her side, who was holding a box. That. Stupid. Box. Emerald eyes closed, taking a long and calming deep breath. When she opened them Lucy tried her best to give Gru a very pleased look before her voice managed a; "Yaaay?"

The man's eyes twitched and jaw dropped. "Whaaaat!?" Hands that had been behind is back reached up to his own face, ready to rub the sleep from his eyes as this surely was a dream. "Lucy- are you.. HOW DID DIS HAPPEN?"

His stance of crazed uncertainty would have usually made the woman smile. "You see, Gru. When one man and one woman really love one another-"

"Don't-no. No no no!" This time Gru was the one pointing, this time at a very excited Margo. "Not with her here!"

Lucy was about to chime in that Margo already found out about the 'birds and the bees' last semester but figured that would be a conversation for later. "Then you know how it happened, you were there. Now you can keep yelling about it or we can actually start thinking about what to do now." Even in her pajamas, Lucy put on a level of command by placing her right fist to her hip.

Gru placed both of his hands on his head, his voice low as he started to mumble incoherent words to himself. The other two in the hall could overhear a few words; "Another mouth… diapers… no sleep…"

Giving a side glance to Margo, Lucy shook her head. Moments ago she had been freaking out, sure. But this took the cake. The excited teen at her side seemed to understand, giving a soft giggle. "Margo, be a love and pick up the towels, I should take your dad to our room to talk… don't tell your sisters yet okay?"

The girl gave a nod, quickly helping with the task she was appointed. Lucy approached her husband just as he started to tighten his scarf, making the skin around his neck red. "Gru." Hands placed on his shoulders. "Just. Think of it as another mission!"

"A.… mission?" His eyes caught hers. While he seemed to still be unstable something about her eyes always made him pause.

The woman nodded. With a smile she leaned forward to kiss him on the tip of his nose. "Maybe not as important as saving the world; but something with an even better outcome."


	3. Morning After

_**Morning After**_

Light from the early morning sun pushed passed the curtains of the room. It was a silent morning, peaceful and to the two adults in the bed a perfect way to start the day. Taking a moment to wake, Lucy found herself wrapped up in the embrace of Gru, the man she had undoubtedly fell in love with over the past few weeks. He was right behind her, his body warm against her own and his breath hitting the back of her neck in a way that made her hair stand on end.

Nothing at all could make her move from his embrace.

That is until her watch next to the bed started to beep. She was late for work.

With a silent gasp the redhead pushed Gru's arms off her half-naked body. It caused the man to grumble and wake as well, eyes adjusting to the light to see his beautiful lady start to put on her clothes from their date last night. "Get back here, Lucy. I haven't had my good morning kiss."

If she wasn't in the worst possible predicament, she would have tossed herself back in his arms and snuggle his brains out. But duty, as always, was calling. "I'm so so so late! I shouldn't have stayed… this is why we sleep at my place!"

"C'mon now." He sat up, his arms resting on his bent knees. "I have a perfectly comfortable bed here."

"Like we even sleep much." With the mild flirt and wink in his direction, Lucy started to hop on one foot to get the opposite heel on. Then before slipping on the second she hobbled back to his side. "Now hush and sleep! I don't want to wake the girls."

The kiss was short, even if Gru was urging her back into bed with his hands on her hips. A light tap on his hand and she was off, flashing him another smile before mouthing the words; "Call me later."

Lucy had heard the term 'walk of shame' before, but this wasn't like that. That was for one night stands and people who had no emotional connection, right? While she kept a very slow and quiet pace down the main hall and stairs, she started to push her shoulder length hair back to try and start the process of getting ready for work.

With a hair pin in her mouth and the door only a few feet away, something made her pause. She was being watched. Years of training and the first thing she could think of was how this would look. _Get with it Lucy! _Turning to the open door at her left and hands raised, she prepared for an onslaught of fighters or whatever someone would unleash at her.

Kyle sat in the middle of the room with a familiar snarl on that ugly face.

"Phew.." Lucy breathed. "You had me going there." She whispered, before once again turning the way out. But this time, another pair of eyes was on her.

"Lucy?"

Agnes was in her pajamas, eyes wide, with that unicorn in her arms. Lucy froze her just as wide as the little girls. "Uh..." She started, but nothing. Not one thing came to mind.

"Are you here for breakfast?" The youngest girl seemed so very pleased at her own question.

"That's it!" Lucy shot her hand upwards, as if this was a victory. "Breakfast! Gru tells me he makes the best pancakes ever!"

Agnes giggled, before rushing closer. As her hand rose up to take the woman's all Lucy could think of was how she would have to call Ramsbottom with an excuse to why she would be late.


	4. Three Words

_**Three Words**_

Gru had seen plenty of crazy heists gone wrong and plenty of villains go unbelievably over the top. Yes, maybe he was part of that group but this was beside the point. It was because he knew so much he was now part of the AVL, working alongside Lucy Wilde (who in fact was his current girlfriend) as an espionage agent. It really couldn't get better; he was being a respectable hero type now.

Except when a mission like this came along, where he and his partner got kidnapped.

This was the work of Mistress Mirage, some feminist educed psycho woman whose idea of utopia was no more men. It didn't surprise Gru that much when she stuffed him in a cell that could have been too small for a child. Just across the dungeon hall was a beautifully decorated room, the glass wall working as the cell for the equally beautiful redhead trapped inside. She was busy rubbing her feet with something, laughing at a thing Gru couldn't see.

"Dis isn't some comedy club, you know." He was pushing to the annoyed state now, his hands were sore from being tied up behind him in chains. In fact, most of his body was wrapped up and he was forced to stand in the one square foot cell.

Lucy looked away from the wall she had been laughing at with a sheepish grin. "Aw but she put little kittens on the wall.."

"How about instead we focus on.. well I don't know, getting out of here?!"

Lucy heaved a sigh, pushing up from her very plush bed. "You have to remain calm."

"Easy for you to say, you've got kittens and fluffy pillows and is.. is that a foot massager?" The device in Lucy's hand that she had been using finally came into view. She tossed it on the bed, before standing with her high heel in hand. "And you were using it! What is wrong with you!"

Lucy held a scowl as she approached the glass window of her cell. "This idea of a man-free world sounds better by the minute." Before Gru could retort she placed the heel of her shoe against the glass and a familiar high pitched scrape came as Lucy started to make a large circle. Gru blinked a few times- Lucy hadn't mentioned a glass cutter before. If he hadn't been locked up he may have grinned.

"Good good!" He spoke in a hurried rush as his partner slipped out. Putting her shoe back on and walking over, she still had a scowl. "Now, reach in my coat pocket, I have a-"

"No." She flatly stated.

"No?" He repeated.

"I think I'm going to let you stay there. After all, this lady has a good idea.." something about her tone made Gru widen his eyes. Was she... Turning on him?

A feeling dropped in his stomach like a rock hits the bottom of a pond. Lucy was his partner... The woman he had been dating for some time now. "You wouldn't just leave me!"

"Oh wouldn't I?" Lucy leaned in, her face close to his through the bars. His expression was of disbelief, she wasn't acting like herself at all. "Good luck, Mister Gru. You have a fun death!" And she walked away.

The sound of her heels clicking against the ground soon faded out and the man was alone. He was just staring ahead, his dumbfounded expression twisting to anger. He actually thought that she was a good person. Lucy had been-

"Ha! I totally had you going didn't I?" She was once more in front of his little cell. Relief washed over Gru, the redhead was giggling about her little joke. "Did I sound like a villain? Hm? Did I?"

"Like one of de best." He couldn't help but adore how she danced in her spot, proud of herself. "You're lucky I love you."

Her dance stopped. Gru felt that rock in his gut again. In mid krump the woman turned her head towards him, blinking those emerald hues. For once he felt like he wanted to be even more confined. "Dat is to say.. When you.. and people have those feelings..." He started to strain as he spoke. "It's just that... Lucy I meant-"

The sudden feeling of her hand digging into his coat cut him off. Lucy went to quick work with the laser gun he always carried, bars being cut away and soon after the chains around his person. Gru grinned finally, as soon as Lucy finished up with getting his hands free. "Thank you Lu-"

Her hands were on his face, grabbing him with a force Gru never knew she had. A split second later, she was pressing her lips on his in a feverish haste. While they were well past the first kiss phase, this was different. The passion in the fiery redhead made Gru's head swim. The world seemed to stop as his sole focus was gripping onto her hips and returning that kiss in full force, the only sound was the drum of his heart.

Much to both of their dismay the duo split for air. Breathless, flushed and very lightheaded Gru could barely hear Lucy speak up. "I love you too."

Then their perfect moment was shattered when Gru realized that while he thought he heard his own heartbeat... An alarm had been triggered. The low beeps suddenly turned to a low siren, making his grip let Lucy go. "We got to go!"

"Man you're romantic, Gru." He wasn't sure if she was being truthful or sarcastic, but either way he was happy. Even if he was focusing on escaping, the woman whose hand he was gripping loved him back. Side seat to adopting the girls, this was one of the happiest moments of his life.


	5. Lost Child

**_Lost Child_**

_No. No no no no. LUCY YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER._ In her mind, the woman known as Lucy Wilde was screaming in her head. It had only been minutes before she had her fiancés youngest daughter right next to her and now…

"Agnes!" She cried again, her voice carrying over the aisles of the office supply shop. Lucy had always been a sucker for these types of stores and bribed the girls to come by saying she'd buy them new coloring materials. Margo and Edith looked equally upset as the trio searched for the youngest.

It started with Lucy letting the girls stay in one aisle so she could go look at the new briefcases. Promising to stay close to one another, Lucy strode off. Gru let them hang out alone quite often; she didn't think anything of it. After all it was an office supply store, what could go wrong?

Apparently the worst.

Lucy was now running around the store, frantically peering down every aisle and even the celling. "What was she doing?!"

Margo was alongside her, keeping up. "Like I said, it was like she just vanished!"

After rushing around the store three times, Lucy led the other girls to the front of the store and started forcefully making her way to the cashier. "LOST CHILD IN THE STORE! CALL THE POLICE!" Everyone around her just stared, making the already distressed Lucy slam her hand on the counter. "ARE YOU DEAF?" The cashier finally did as asked, picking up the phone.

* * *

Three hours later, Lucy was sitting on the large couch in Gru's living room. She felt like a child there, hands on her knees and chin tucked down. Her emotions were so mixed between relief and anxiety; Agnes was safe and sound in the kitchen with the other girls. Apparently she had wandered out to the next store, where the employees contacted her legal guardian.

Who was now staring down at Lucy with a glare she never thought he'd give her.

"At least she's okay, right?" Putting on a very forced grin, Lucy finally let her face turn up at his. She started to regret that almost instantly, he was still furious.

He started to pace, which she could only guess was him trying to calm. "Agnes is not a handful." Gru held his harsh tone for now but Lucy could almost feel his anger by now. "She never wanders off. So how could dis happen?"

"I.." Lucy gripped at her coat, her knuckles paling from how hard she kept them closed. "I don't know. She was there then poof! Like magic. I already feel awful about-"

"Oh no you don't!" Suddenly, he was closer, right hand up to point at her. "Do you understand what could have happened? What if some madman took her?" His back turned to her as he continued on, pacing. "She is only six years old! Lucy she could have been hit by a car! What would you have said then, hm? Oooh I feel so sorry already." He mimicked a female tone on the last line, before snapping his heels together and faced her. "Dis is unacceptable!" Lucy's head was turned down to her lap. Silence was over her, save for her soft breathing. Gru felt his eye twitch. "Are you even listening?!"

His anger took a nosedive as her head rose. Tears were coming down from those lovely emerald pools. "I am. I'll… just get out of here." Standing, Lucy used the back of her palm to wipe her cheek. Jaw dropped but not a sound came from him. Her long strides allowed her to exit the living room before his body could react to what was happening; and before he knew it the front door was slamming shut.

His expression kept changing, anger to worry then back again. "Fine! Go!" She likely couldn't hear him, but there he was, yelling at nothing. "And.. and just don't think about calling!" His fists went to his sides, before grumbling something else more about 'not acceptable'. It took the man a moment to calm down, so when he turned to head to the kitchen he was shocked to see three girls staring back at him.

"Did you kick Lucy out?" Edith asked with eyes narrowed at her adoptive father.

"What! No! She left of her own accord.. Besides she should go for now."

Agnes seemed like she was on the brink of tears. "It wasn't her fault, go get her!"

"Sweetheart she-"

"GO GET HER!" The little girl looked as frantic as Lucy hours before.

Margo touched her shoulder, before nodding to Gru. "The guys can watch us. Go on then."

* * *

The knocking on her door surprised Lucy. She had just walked in her small apartment and had removed her coat when the visitor arrived. Trying to keep silent, she inched closer and glanced through the peephole. Her heart sank further then it had been. "Go away Gru."

"Lucy open dis door."

"I don't want to! You should go, okay? I know. I messed up." Her back leaned on the wood. While she couldn't see him anymore, she had an idea of how he must have looked.

His voice did sound a lot less angry though. "Please, open the door."

Knowing he would likely just bust it open (he had done it before, making her landlord very upset with her) Lucy unlocked the bolt then twisted the knob. Without looking at him she walked further inside her living area, arms crossed. Gru kept his cool as he entered and closed the door behind him.

Silence soon followed. The redhead sighed, glancing to his face. He seemed to have the same expression, even had his arms crossed. She was at her last straw here; first he yelled at her then followed her home only to give her that look. "I do feel awful. Agnes means a lot of me but I'm a horrible mother figure." Gru's face fell. His fiancé turned away once again, walking to her small loveseat. She sunk into it, arms still wrapped around her torso. "I don't think I'll be a good mom to them. What kind of mother loses their child?"

"A normal one." Lucy didn't bother to look at him, even when he spoke kindly. She heard him come closer and felt him sit down next to her. "I am sorry for yelling. You know how much the gurls mean to me."

"I do. They mean a lot to me too." New tears came to her eyes. "I was so scared, I really was. I'd do anything for those three."

His index finger came up to her eye, dabbing away a tear. Blinking the rest back, Lucy glanced to him. Gru had his smile back. "And that is why you'll be a great mom." The pair stared at one another, both of their nerves coming to a relaxed pause. Gru's hand went from her face to Lucy's back, urging her closer. She obliged with a tiny smile. "Now let's head back. The gurls want you over for dinner."


	6. Villain Talk

_**Villain Talk (Mild Adult Themes)**_

The popcorn was almost gone, but Lucy was still reaching inside the large bowl. Her form was practically on top of Gru's lap, her shoulder on his broad chest. It had been another date, this time at her one bedroom apartment. Gru had his mother watching the girls for once, the woman Lucy had only met a few days ago. While Gru didn't mention her much, it was pretty obvious his mother did seem proud of him.

She munched on more of the popcorn before shoving the bowl aside. On the TV was an older spy movie that they had rented. While Gru gave some of the funniest looks and snared about the various inaccuracies about the villains, Lucy was hooked. Before he could ruin the next villain part, her fingers pressed on his lips. "Shh!" She urged, before growing absorbed.

Gru smiled under her fingers. Using the moment where her guard was down, his hands found her waist. Carefully he pulled her closer and his face leaned in enough to smell the floral scent of her hair. Lucy didn't even notice right away when his mouth was placed on the back of her neck. Only when Gru started to taste her skin did she give a soft shiver.

"Gruuu..." She carried his name in a soft whine. "I'm trying to watch the movie." His kisses and exploring lips didn't stop at her neck; instead he chuckled deeply in his chest at her tone and continued to her shoulder. Lucy made a mental note that wearing thin straps were a distraction. "You're so evil." She teased.

"You can't escape, Ms. Wilde." His voice was muffled just barely by her skin. But being so close he could feel her shiver. At first he assumed she liked the light graze of his teeth but as Lucy suddenly moved he looked at her in surprise.

Her eyes stared back at him. "Say that again." Gru opened his mouth but paused. Was she upset? Or was that a mild case of lust behind those eyes?

"What..?" He played it off coolly, unsure if he did something wrong.

His doubts were gone as the woman maneuvered on his lap, straddling him with her skirt hiked up. "Say.. that again. In a more... Evil tone. You can do it, come on."

Suddenly Gru realized. "I said..." Years of being one of the best villains took over as he put on a darker tone. "You cannot escape, Ms. Wilde." To put a little emphasis on the words his hands slipped around her wrists. Emerald eyes we're staring down at his, a flush on her skin. "And to make sure of that..." He pushed her arms back, locking them behind her lower back.

For once Lucy was silent. Gru took the moment to cradle her body against his and lift her up. "Gru.." she finally said, breathlessly. "Keep talking." He was standing now, her legs responding by locking around his waist. Lucy was easy to carry for him, using one hand to hold her wrists and the other was slipped under one leg.

"If you want to live, I suggest you do exactly as I say." While it had been a very long time since he played this role, Lucy was still getting heated over his tone. Gru didn't carry her long; all he did was turn and set the woman on her back against the couch. She wiggled just barely in his grip but he gave a shake of his head. "I got you now. And you're mine to do as I please."

The redhead shivered again. "What.. what are you going to do to me?" If Gru wasn't pressing himself on top of her, he may have found this amusing. But he was enjoying it a completely different way. His hand now freeing her wrists was placed on her upper thigh. She always wore skirts and dresses making it very easy to slide under the material.

Lips found one another, his feverish lust starting to come at full force. Lucy matched brilliantly, her breath catching as he started to trail his mouth back down her neck. "I think the real question is.." he pulled back just enough to look up in her eyes. "What am I not going to do?"

The woman's hip was on his palm as she let out a quiet moan. Gru went back to work with his mouth, tasting the dip of her neck to shoulder. His other hand made quick work of pulling the strap of her top down. Skin was tasted and his head swam with excitement for her.

He was a little surprised when her hands slipped around his waist and started to pull up on the grey sweater he wore. "Gru." She whispered again. "You're diabolical.."

He couldn't help but give a deep chuckle. While his hand slipped under her top, finding sensitive skin that made her let out a tiny gasp, Gru murmured. "And apparently you love it."


	7. Sick Day

_**Sick Day**_

The alarm was deafening, at least to the tall slender redhead in the bed. Moments after it went off the man next to Lucy hit the clock with a groan. A hand caressed her hair, but for once Lucy wasn't in the mood for Gru's loving ritual this morning. She gave a soft groan, making his hand pause on her head. "Lucy?"

"More sleep." She murmured with her face buried in her pillow.

His hand slipped to her forehead. "You're burning up!"

It made sense; after all she was feeling like crud. The idea of sleep sounded so much better than getting up for breakfast with the girls- even if she loved them to death. What she didn't expect was Gru rushing out of bed like a bat out of hell. Lucy managed to roll over where he had been sleeping, eyes opening to see the room now empty.

For now, she shrugged it off- sleep was more important. It only seemed like seconds later when Gru's voice lured her out of her rest. "Lucy… I have medicine."

Opening her emerald eyes, she was shocked to see three very full bags from the store. Various bottles and boxes were inside them and her drowsy gaze went to her husband. He was huffing, like he had run there and back. Likely did. At least he had changed first.

Lucy felt dizzy but lifted her head. "Gru, I don't need all this…"

"Which then? Just tell me, I'll get it for you." After setting them on the bed he started to rummage through the bags. Pulling out bottles, boxes, all while chatting. "Sniffling, sneezing, upset stomach, headache, cramps, bloating-"

Lucy gave another groan. He was being kind but rather over the top. Her hand rose to snatch what looked like a flu medicine from his hand. "This." She stated, and then dropped it back in his open palm. "Then sleep, please."

Gru went to quickly remove the bags from the bed and rushed away with the medicine. For a second she wondered why he didn't hand it over first but Lucy was just too tired to care. Her eyes drooped, her aching body finally relaxing again…

"Here Lucy, drink dis…"

And once more Lucy was pulled from her sleep by the bald man at her side. He held up a mug and two pills she could only assume was the medicine she picked out. Holding back an annoyed retort the woman forced herself to sit up. Instantly after taking the mug his arm slipped around her, cradling closer to his side for support. Gru genuinely seemed worried about her which even if she felt miserable, she was happy to see. The broth wasn't very appetizing but she could only guess that nothing would be at this point. The pills were swallowed and she drank about half the mug before settling back down on the bed.

Her husband didn't rush out this time. He remained at her side, sitting up on the bed while his fingers ran through her hair. Lucy finally started to doze again as he did this, the soft touches of his hand helping lure her in.

* * *

She had no idea how long she had been asleep. The sun was still coming into the bedroom, but it had to have been hours later. Lucy stretched in the bed, hand hitting some remote control left on Gru's pillow. Picking it up, she blinked at the little note left on it.

"Press when you wake up."

Her gaze went around their bedroom with a brow quirked. Shrugging she pressed the button, and then snuggled once more in the bed. About ten minutes later Gru came through the door with a tray in hand. Finding his doting state so unbelievably endearing she sat up with a smile. "Are you feeling better?" He asked, walking to her side of the bed.

"A little, my fever is gone I'd say."

"Dis is good." Carefully he set the tray over her lap. The first thing she saw was three pieces of paper, all with unique doodles of a redhead in a blue dress. Each one said to 'get well soon', signed by their artist. "De gurls wanted to come up, but don't need them sick you know?"

Lucy nodded, picking up the drawings and setting them aside. It melted her heart how much she loved them more and more each day. "Tell them thank you for me? I'm sure more sleep will knock this cold out of me."

"Of course." Gru smiled; obviously relieved in some way. Lucy stared at his face for a long moment. "What is it?"

"Thank you for taking care of me." And she meant it. While at first she didn't want it, she was so appreciative of his kindness. The bowl of soup actually smelled delicious this time, so her hand quickly took the spoon to start eating.

"In sickness and in health, am I right?"

Lucy may have flushed at this. "Until death do us part, yes."


	8. Jealousy

_**Jealousy**_

"Oh! That looks so dangerous! Let's go on that first!" Lucy Wilde was busy pulling at her boyfriend/partner's arm, forcing him towards the largest roller coaster at the park.

Super Silly Fun Land was not Gru's first choice for a date. This had been all the girls' idea- maybe hoping they could come along as well. But after dozens of dates to movies and dinners, it had been time for a change. He had been happy to hear how excited Lucy was over the phone though. Maybe he could just push through a ride and hope not to get sick.

As they got closer to the ride, Gru looked like he would pass out. "Maybe I'll sit dis one out."

"Aww, you sure?" Lucy was past excited. Like a child almost she was hoping back and forth on the balls of her feet, looking at Gru with a pout. "I really want to go."

"Then go, really. I'll wait here."

Leaning in she kissed his cheek. He always loved it when she did that. "I'll wave to you!" And she was off. Gru couldn't help but just watch her the entire time. Her perfect smile; her bright eyes. The more time he spent with her he just wanted more. Likely he looked like a goof, standing there alone with a grin on his lips. He could see her get in the cart, arm frantically waving in his direction.

While his hand went up to wave back- someone blocked his view of her. Another man slipped in the cart with her. For a second, Gru felt something in his chest stir. "Don't worry." He spoke low, to himself. "De ride is full; of course she'll sit next to someone."

But when her eyes were on the man next to her, giggling at something he was saying to her, Gru felt that tightness in his chest grow. "Polite." He growled to himself, as if talking out loud would help. "He is just being polite to her."

As the ride started Gru watched the carts rise. It got harder and harder to make out the cart with his Lucy and the strange man- so of course he dug in his coat to find a pair of specs that zoomed in for him. It was then he noticed the arm around her. The man was holding her close as the ride was about to go downhill.

Before Gru knew it the technology in his hand cracked and sizzled. His grip had caused the goggles to break. Grumbling loudly he stuffed threw the item down and tried to watch where the ride went but to his disappointment all he could hear were the screams of the passengers. Only a few minutes later the ride was over and Gru ran to where the people were being unloaded.

Lucy was laughing, fixing her hair while chit chatting with the mysterious man. The ex-villain managed to get an eyeful now. Helping Lucy out of the cart Gru noticed he was taller than her. He had a very lean physique and Gru knew that most ladies would find his smile perfect. Even his brown hair fell in his face flawlessly.

Never in his life did Gru want to strangle someone so badly. With his hands in fists he waited by the exit until Lucy spotted him. While she seemed normal, excited even, Gru didn't match her energy in the slightest. "Did you see that! It was so great! Sure my hair is likely a disaster but I'd so go again." Her hands went up, as if she would dance right there.

Instead Gru reached out and took one hand in his and pulled her through the exit door. The man followed, still watching the redhead with a look Gru did not trust in the slightest. "I'd be happy to go again with you, Lucy."

The woman beamed. "Oh that would be-"

"I am sorry but we must go." With Lucy in tow Gru started to walk but was stopped by her tugging back.

"We just got here! I wanted to introduce you to Richard here."

Richard held out his hand, as if expecting Gru to actually shake it. With a glance to the invitation Gru only snarled. "I don't care."

"Don't be rude…" Lucy leaned in to try and get Gru's attention. It only gave the bald man an opportunity to wrap his arm around her and give the other man a very intense glare. "As I was saying… Richard, Gru. Gru, Richard."

The taller man gave a quiet "Hello." Then his full attention went back to Lucy. "How about another go then?"

"She can't, go on then Rachel."

"It's... Richard."

"Rachel seems more fitting. Now go."

Defeated, the man gave the woman a smile and nod, before turning away. Gru had a feeling of triumph. He managed to scare off the threat and all was good now. That is until he saw Lucy's stare. His jaw dropped as he started to defend himself. "He had his arm around you! He acted like I wasn't even here."

"Next time you come on the ride then." Her tone hit him hard. Her finger poked his cheek, and then pointed the opposite direction where Richard had walked off to. Gru looked over, seeing the man now locked arm and arm with some blonde woman. "His wife didn't want to ride either. He told me as soon as he sat down. Don't assume anything you don't understand, Gru."

Lucy quickly got over it; leaning in to kiss her partner's cheek. "You're cute when you're jealous. Just don't make a habit of it."

Even if he felt better after her lips touched his skin, Gru still wanted to make it up to her. "Hey how about we go play some games? I'll win you a stuffed bear."

"Bear? No." Her angelic smile made his heart melt. "Get me a cat and I am all yours."


	9. Baby

_**Baby**_

The tranquility of night was Gru's favorite time. With the girls all tucked in and after spending a few hours in his lab, he could finally just settle down in bed with the love of his life and sleep. That is to say, until about a week ago.

It was around one in the morning. Usual feeding time for the infant son Lucy brought into their lives. His cries at first had always put Gru on edge, not because it was annoying but he wish he knew what he could do. When the girls cried he could talk with them. You can't talk to an infant…

Lucy was up in a heartbeat. The woman was taking on this role like a pro, much like she did when they had become husband and wife. Gru sat up in bed, watching as his wife went to the crib and scooped up the wiggling baby. The set up he made for both mother and child kept them in the far corner with a rocking chair with soft cushions. Lucy quickly settled in to start nursing, giving a little yawn.

Awake now, Gru stood from the bed and motioned to the door. "Would you like something to drink?" He asked this quietly. Lucy's head lifted from just staring at the boy to shake her head no. The two exchanged smiles before he walked out.

Gru didn't head to the kitchen. His destination was the girls room, silently opening the door to peer inside. He didn't do this before the baby. And he wasn't fully sure why he did it now. He had always been protective of them but somehow he felt different, his girls were his life now. Lucy included. The trio were sound asleep and Gru took a moment to just enjoy that sound of them breathing peacefully.

When he got back to the dimly lit bedroom he noticed Lucy idly rocking the chair with the ball of her foot. His wife looked exhausted with good reason, while he could take care of the girls she had a baby to nurse every few hours it seemed. Gru walked over, peering down at the infant in her arms.

His face was round, much like Gru's. But luckily (in Gru's opinion, though Lucy fought him on this) he got most of his mothers features. With a full tiny belly he was falling back to sleep just like his mother. "I still like the name Felix."

Lucy opened her eyes to meet Gru's. "Marcel is a good one too."

The couple had been debating names since a week before their son came into this world. While they had time to think on it, it was still up in the air. "Look at him, he's got the face of a Felix, I tell you."

Lucy smiled. "No, he has the face of a Gru."

Gru gave a soft sigh, smiling back. "De gurls can help us vote tomorrow." Carefully he took his son from Lucy's arms and carried him to the crib. His wife was at his side, the two staring down at the infant who was now sleeping soundly.

Without word Gru turned and slipped his arm around his wife, then used the other to sweep her off her feet. Arms went around his neck and her face nuzzled his as he carried her back to bed.

"Get some sleep." He whispered, laying her down and following right next to her. "Likely Felix will be up in a few hours."

"You mean Marcel." Lucy gave a soft laugh. The couple cuddled there in their large bed, while Gru pulled the blanket back over them.

"I mean our son." Gru kissed her temple, before closing his eyes. This was a new tranquility he enjoyed. His family, all sleeping under his roof.


	10. Jealousy Part 2

_**Jealousy Part 2**_

Classical music echoed in the parent's waiting room, from the adjoining dance hall. Gru was slumped on the bench, arms cradling the three girl's usual bags and clothes. While he had become accustomed to this life, it didn't mean he didn't grow bored once in a while. Heaving a loud sigh he straightened himself and looked up at the clock. Just twenty more minutes, he could handle that right?

"You look frustrated."

A woman at his side spoke, one Gru had never seen before at these classes. "Just thinking of all de things I need to do, dat's all. Laundry, cooking, shopping."

"Which is your little one?" Her well-manicured hand motioned to the dancing girls.

Gru glanced over to the dancers, smiling as he saw Agnes wave her tiny hand. "The three in the middle."

The lady with a blonde bob haircut leaned in, giving him a smile. "Must be hard, being a single dad and all."

Lucy came to mind; after all he was ready to pop the question to her soon. At least if he could just work up the courage to. "It's not so hard." Shrugging it off, Gru thought that would be the end of the conversation.

But the woman wasn't quite done. "If you'd like we could arrange something. I could cook up a dinner. My niece is the one on the end there; I could bring her by also."

A realization hit him; this woman was hitting on him. Gru suddenly stiffened; after all he wasn't really one to be regularly flirted with. Women never seemed to care nor did he. And there was Lucy to think about, his captivating Lucy. "I can't." He stared forward, eyes narrowed.

Personal boundaries broken, the woman slipped her arm around the crook of his arm. He glanced at her, looking baffled. She sensed his shock, using this to lean in and prominently make her intentions known. "I promise it will be fun. After the girls sleep, I am sure we could think of something to do…" The tone of her voice made him give a tiny gulp. "Oh I'm Tiffani by the way."

"Oh hi Tiffani, I am Lucy. Lucy Wilde."

Gru jumped up to his feet, the woman letting him go as he did. Low and behold there was his redheaded partner, one hand on her hip, the other on her purse. She seemed at ease, giving the blonde woman a smile. "Lucy… it-it's not-"

"Sorry I'm late." Without warning she leaned in close to Gru, swung her arms around his neck and planted a very soft (and to Gru very long) kiss on his lips. It surprised him enough to make him silent, even a bit dumbfounded as his girlfriend pulled away and took a few things he had been holding. It made it easier for her to force his arm around her waist.

Tiffani was staring up at the two with a very odd smirk. "I take it this is your girlfriend?"

"That's right." Lucy chimed in. "We're very much in love, isn't that right?"

With mouth open in bewilderment Gru glanced between the two ladies. "So much. Like the peanut butter and jelly we are."

Lucy gave a giggle at his words. Which was little odd for her, seeing how he made the worst kind of reference. Without warning the class of girls came running in the waiting room; one small blond coming to Tiffani. "It was lovely to meet you." With a wink, the woman left the couple. Lucy was at Gru's side up until the moment Tiffani strode out; then huffed.

Gru watched her face turn from pleasant to annoyed. "What kind of lady does that? Desperate I tell you."

She was jealous. Lucy was standing there, eyes narrowed at the door and all Gru could do was laugh. It started with a chuckle, growing louder until her was folded over and practically dropping the items in his arms. Lucy put her focus on him, blinking. "What is so funny?"

Catching his breath he lifted himself, shaking his head. "I cannot believe you are jealous."

Her face flushed. "I am not! She just was pushing the limits! You can't just put an arm around someone!"

"Admit it. Jea-lous." He grinned, even as she looked ready to punch him. She shoved the bag she took back in his arms, just as the girls came up to them. Agnes jumped up so Lucy could hold her and the redhead did so with a smile.

"Come on girls, your dad is taking us all out to dinner."

* * *

Gru tucked in the girls like he did every night, then headed back downstairs. Lucy was relaxing on the couch, legs tucked under her as the TV was going on some news network. The sound was turned down to not wake the children, and Lucy wasn't even paying attention. It was like any other of their dates where she ended up staying over; the duo would usually watch a movie or just talk before retiring to his bedroom. So when he settled down next to her, he was a little surprised when she stood up right after.

"Lucy?"

The agent walked a few feet, before turning to look at him. "I admit it."

He gave a look of confusion.

"I was jealous."

The look of triumph on his face was little exaggerated. "Well yes, it was pretty obvious you know."

"Gru..." She gave him a look that was crossed between happiness and worry. "I jumped out of a plane for you. You're the only one I can honestly say that I love with all my heart. When I think about you I'm just so happy, you know? And thinking about you… leaving or going to someone else gets me worked up. I had to fight back the urge to taser that lady."

Her words made his stomach flip in a fantastic way. "Don't be so silly, Lucy." He motioned with his hand, beckoning her closer. When she approached him his hands took hers. Staring up into her eyes he smiled. "You don't worry about that. I swear you are the one for me."

Returning the smile, she bent down to kiss his cheek. "Let's skip the movie and go upstairs."

Gru was happy to oblige.


	11. Body Heat

_**Body Heat**_

"I'm telling you the base was about twenty miles that way!"

"Look up! See that star? It points north. NORTH. That means we go that way."

"North? More like south. Do you even study the charts?!"

Gru rubbed his bald head, growing impatient. Behind him Lucy was tapping on the metal bracelet she always wore, trying to get it to work. The pair was lost in the middle of some wasteland; right after a narrow escape from some evil mastermind who wanted to crash all the satellites in every major city on Earth. So just a normal day for the two.

The narrow escape from the man's exploding aircraft included them storing in an escape pod that crashed- leaving them not only stranded but without any usable technology to contact anyone. Gru's cell had no signal, Lucy's bracelet was dead and the only hope they had was that small escape pod. Its tracking device likely would be picked up by the AVL once they did a sweep of the area but that could be days off.

Lucy was gazing up at the stars, tracking a path the only way she knew how. "See, that's the North Star there."

Gru's eyes glanced up but not to where she pointed. "The moon is full; if we just wait to see which direction it goes we'll know that I am right." Hands slipped behind his back, before walking to the pod. Its hatch door had been ripped off in the crash, leaving the sky in view as he crawled inside.

"What are you doing?" She followed behind, pausing just over the rim of the entrance. Gru was settling in on the seat inside, arms folded. "We need to move don't we?"

"Do you know how cold it will be in a few hours?" Lucy hadn't thought of that. The sun had set only an hour before and seeing how she didn't have her coat her body temperature would drop considerably. "Best to wait, watch the moon and when the sun comes back up away we go."

Heaving a sigh she crawled in the pod. It was big enough for a few people, likely. The bench was long but she settled in to sit right next to Gru. For a long moment they were silent as they sat there, Lucy tugging on the end of her scarf. "I never thanked you, did I?"

With his brow raised Gru glanced at her. "For what?"

"The whole shark-on-a-rocket thing." Flashing him a smile, she used the moment being close to him to place her hand on his leg.

"Then I should be thanking you for just an hour ago." His grin made her smile. "Finding this pod? I was certain we'd be goners."

The two exchanged kind glances as Gru uncrossed his arms and slipped one around the woman. Leaning on him, she gazed up. The edge of the moon was coming through the opening of the hatch and while they just rested the redhead found herself thinking. "Gru." With her head on his shoulder, she continued to stare at the sky. "Why did you put the moon back?"

"Oh reasons." He let his hand rest on the woman's hip, his eyes glancing up to where she stared. The memory of holding it in his hand came to him. "There are things you think you want, then things you end up needing."

While she didn't fully understand, Lucy smiled none the less. "It's good to know you turned a new leaf."

Once more they went silent. It seemed like a long time went by, the moon was slowly creeping into view over the pod. Gru had been waiting for its movement so he could chart the direction they would have to go in the morning. Only when he felt Lucy stir next to him did he realize it was growing colder. She wasn't trying to show it; but close to her he could see her arm shiver.

Quickly he pulled off his scarf and gently pulled away from her to unzip his coat. Before she could even protest he draped it over her thin shoulders. Around her it was like a blanket and she was very thankful for it. Gru was pleased when she smiled at him and glanced upwards again to study the sky.

But when she crawled on his lap, his full attention snapped to the woman. Her legs went to either side of his hips and while she straddled him all he could think about was just how nimble she could be. "Lucy, what…"

Her face was pressed against his neck and he could feel the tickle of her breath. "You need to stay warm too." It was easy enough for the woman to slip her hands under the front of his sweater and she gave a soft snicker as she felt him squirm under her. "Body heat is between two people is the best source you know."

"What if someone comes?" Gru knew how stupid that sounded. They were in the middle of a wasteland, no soul for miles. It didn't sway her goal and Lucy started to pull his sweater off. While alarmed to some degree- something did seem warmer with her pressed on his lap.

Lucy removed the coat off her shoulders, laying it next to them. Her hands then found his, guiding him to grab the fabric of her dress. It was then Gru took the hint and edged forward, turning his head to kiss her.

Their bodies took over then, Lucy returning his affection with an enthusiastic pace. His hands pulled her dress upwards, causing their fevered kiss to break long enough to toss it over her head. Scarf gone, she was down to her undergarments. Lips found each other again as the passion jump started. Gru felt himself warmer that was no doubt. Lucy leaned in, her skin touching his while the couple made out.

Unable to control himself Gru slipped his hand under her and pushed off the bench- heading to the ground. Her soft sounds of a moan were muffled by his lips tasting her, but he knew she wasn't going to protest. Lucy's legs were wrapped around his waist and while he pressed her back on the tossed aside dress the last thing on his mind was the chill.

* * *

Dawn came many hours later. In the pod, the couple was linked very close together on the bench. Lucy was sitting on his lap, leaning on his chest and naked save for Gru's coat. He had at least slipped his pants back on, using her and a portion of the coat to stay warm. In the past few hours, Lucy's hair had become quite disheveled so she had taken it down. Being cold was not an issue at all anymore.

They had slept off and on, between their little 'romps'. With his arms around her waist and her head on his chest Gru found himself just staring up at the sky. This had been his favorite mission to date.

"Gru." She said sleepily, "Should we get going?"

"We can wait a bit longer."


	12. Names

_**I got asked on tumblr to make their son's name Mason Gru; as they had drawn an adorable picture of a newborn baby of Gru and Lucy. This is very short but I hope it works well. Also, I know in my reviews someone mentioned a story of the girls giving ideas for names. Hope you all enjoy. :)**_

_**Names**_

"Now, I have called this meeting for-"

"Aw he's looking at me!" The youngest cheered.

"I bet he's going to have Gru's eyes. But that's about it." Edith giggled.

"Thank goodness, right?" Even Margo was into it.

"HEY!" Gru chimed in, making the four females in his life turn their attention to him. The girls had been obsessing over their new baby brother, who was being held by Lucy. "I'll have you know, he comes from a long line of Gru's who-"

Lucy spoke up. "Sweetie, not to cut you off but let's stay on subject here." His family settled in on the couch. Like usual Agnes was sticking extremely close to Lucy. The youngest had become so close to her that it warmed Gru's heart each time he saw them together.

But now it was time for the meeting he had arranged. "Right. So I have called you all here to discuss the name of the new Gru." Hands slipped behind his back, leaning down a bit as he started to get very professional about it. "I have nominated the name Felix, a very strong name that has been in my family for generations."

"It sounds like a cartoon character." Gru's face fell. He had hoped at least Margo would agree with him.

His wife gave a soft laugh. "I told him it wouldn't smooth over well."

"Fine, if that does not work for you…" He waved his hand as if he was ready to dismiss any other names coming at him. "Ideas then, please."

Edith waved her hand. "It's got to be something dangerous! Like Striker… or Ace!"

Gru pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "No no no. Nothing that is dangerous sounding…"

"What names do you like, Lucy?" Agnes, yet again had focus on her mother.

Shaking her head, Lucy gave the little girl a smile. "I mentioned the name Marcel, but not sure if it's sticking with me now that I've thought about it." The nameless Gru in her arms started to squirm, so she started to rock the baby in her arms. "That's why names are up for discussion."

"And seeing how no real respectable names have come up; it looks like Felix is the best choice." Gru couldn't help but grin, every victory he could get in the house of women was a good one.

"How about Mason?" The brunette spoke up, looking pleased. "It's along the lines of Marcel, plus I think I saw that name on your family tree at one point."

Lucy brightened up. "Oh good one Margo. I like it." Emerald eyes looked to the infant. "Little Mason Gru… oh it suits him."

The ex-villain was going to protest, but instead thought for a long moment. He did have an old great uncle named Mason Gru. While Felix had always been his favorite this could work.

As he was thinking; it appeared the girls had already accepted it. Agnes was already singing a little song to the baby, something about unicorns and how he'd be a knight. Edith was chatting to Lucy about how Mason sounded like a spy name and that she couldn't wait to teach him how to fight. Margo promptly took out her cell phone to text her friends the name of her new baby brother.

Gru couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. "I guess Mason it is, I'll go get the paperwork done."

Lucy glanced away from Edith; "Honey. Why don't you make Felix his middle name?"

He waved his hand, before strolling off to head to his office. "Very well then."

One small victory.


	13. Dinner Date

**_I've_**_** been given lots of prompts for including the girls in the Grucy stories. So I figured, why not the first date that included them? I have a feeling during those 147 dates that more then half -had- to include them. They are too important to Gru to not be.**_

_**Dinner Date**_

The knots in her stomach were the worst she had ever felt. It wasn't like this was the first date with Gru, but Lucy knew just how important this date would be. Just the day before she had received a call from her partner, asking her to come over for dinner. It was going to be the first night she would not only be visiting his house but it meant he wanted her to visit the girls too.

Casual would be best she figured, so she wore her only pair of jeans and a tank top. For the past few weeks while they had been dating she had tried to mix it up a bit with her outfits, but Gru always complimented her even in her usual attire. Soon after arriving to the man's large home, Lucy found herself sitting in her car, just staring ahead.

The last time she had seen the girls was when Gru rescued her from the rocket. The pair was picked up by the minions eventually before being transported back to land. Thankful their father was safe the girls jumped him with hugs making Lucy even more attracted to the ex-villain.

Would they care about her staying for dinner? Would they accept her as Gru's current girlfriend? Her stomach went into knots again and she even contemplated driving off and canceling; making some excuse about being sick. But that wouldn't be fair to Gru and Lucy knew it. His voice had sounded so excited when she agreed to come over that the very ideas of disappointing him made her regret thinking it.

Stepping out of her car she walked up to the door and took a deep breath. She rang the bell and rubbed her hands together; ready for anything. When it opened she expected to see Gru but instead a very short little black haired girl stood. "Lucy! Lucy's here!"

"Hey there Agnes!" Lucy leaned down, the worry in her stomach fading away as the youngest seemed so excited to see her. "How are you today?"

"Great! Come on, I wanna show you something."

She barely had time to close the door as the little girl lead her inside. While she didn't see any of the other Gru family she knew they had to be around somewhere. With a skip the girl lead Lucy upstairs and to the rather large bedroom she shared with her sisters. At first the AVL agent was concerned that she was pushing some sort of boundary but Agnes' was really insistent.

"This is where I sleep." The girl walked to one of the beds. Getting over the fact that they were made out of old bomb shells, Lucy peered around the rest of the room. "Kyle sleeps there too. Oh! And here is my unicorn."

The fluffy toy was brought to Lucy and she knelt down to take it as Agnes offered. "Oh how cute!"

"Gru got me that, it's my favorite."

Imagining Gru giving the girl a toy; setting up this very fun and cute room, the idea of it all was melting her heart little by little. "I love it." She handed it back carefully. "Where is everyone?"

"Probably in the kitchen, Gru's been making dinner like all day now."

Another image crossed her mind. "Let's go check it out." Agnes reached for her hand. Being so much taller than her the woman would have to bend while they walked together. Not that she minded so much.

Voices carried from the kitchen but before they walked in, Lucy had an idea. She kneeled down once more to Agnes, giving her the signal to be quiet. Understanding, the girl nodded frantically. Leaning against the wall Lucy used whatever stealth she had to glance past the doorframe and see what was going on.

The first thing she saw was two of his minions, sitting on the stools and chopping up what Lucy could only assume would be a salad. Margo and Edith were hanging around the man in an apron, taking orders as he seemed in a frantic state to make things perfect.

"I said pepper, not paprika, it's the black stuff."

"But the red looks cooler. I wonder if you add enough it'll look like blood or something." Edith seemed disappointed, walking back to get the spice needed.

'Don't be gross, Edith." Margo was mixing something. It appeared Gru had set up a few steps to the counter so the girls could frequently help him. Once more, Lucy found herself smiling by the simplest of things.

"What time is it anyway?" Gru turned, making Lucy duck her head back so he wouldn't spot her. "It's already past six! She's late."

Lucy heard something in his voice. Disappointment maybe? Or close to it. It dawned on her that maybe he was nervous as well, wondering if his partner would even want to have dinner with his family. Finally straightening up she glanced to Agnes and nodded towards the door.

"Lucy's here!" As if on cue, Agnes wandered in with Lucy behind her. Everyone in the kitchen paused to glance over; making Lucy feel just a bit uncomfortable.

That is until Gru grinned and removed his apron. "Lucy, glad you came." When he approached her she wasn't expecting him to lean in and give her cheek a kiss but was glad he did. The knots were gone and now she realized just how hungry she was by the scents in the room.

"It smells great in here!" Her eyes went to the other girls who were smiling. "Anything I can do to help?"

"You're our guest!" Gru placed his hand under her arm, leading her to the table that was already set up. "Sit down, it'll be ready shortly."

Instantly at her side was Agnes, who likely wasn't allowed to do much in the kitchen. While she did a little dance in her seat Lucy couldn't help herself to give a light giggle.

After dinner the family spent time in the kitchen, cleaning up the dishes. It was pretty nice, at least to Lucy. She was in charge of washing, Gru stood next to her drying and the girls put things away. Margo suggested a game once everything was put away so in the living room the set up a game that was obviously Agnes' favorite as it involved unicorns, princess and all the things that she seemed obsessed with.

The four girls sat on the ground playing while Gru kept nearby in his huge chair. "Lucy you lose a turn!"

The woman feigned worry, the back of her hand coming to her forehead. "But I am the gallant knight! Who will rescue the princess?"

"Looks like..." Margo rolled the die and then pointed to the worn unicorn piece. "The magical unicorn!"

Agnes popped up and cheered. "Yaaaay! Take that, dragon!"

Edith rolled her eyes. "It's always the unicorn."

"You can't help how the game turns out." Margo shrugged and then looked over to Lucy. "Want to play again?"

She would have agreed, but instead Gru spoke up behind her. "No no, it's getting late. School night, you three need to get baths then bed."

"Aw." The trio all said, standing from their spot.

"I had fun tonight guys." Lucy spoke, remaining where she was.

"We did too! Come back soon okay?" The eldest smiled at her.

Lucy nodded, but jumped a bit as Agnes rushed in and gave her a hug. Holding the little girl for a moment she realized just how silly it was to be worried about these girls. Setting her down she gave a playful poke on Agnes' nose. "Sweet dreams."

"Night Lucy!"

The girls ran off, Gru standing to follow. But not before glancing down to Lucy. "I'll be half an hour, tops. Make yourself at home."

"Not a problem." Giving him a smile she started to clean up the board game. It wasn't going to be hard to grow accustomed to this routine, if Gru wanted to keep her around that is. She adored the girls already. And of course Gru…

After cleaning up the game she stood and walked around the room. It was a mix of dark and fun things, due to him being alone for so long then suddenly having three girls in his life. He even got a large pink teddy bear chair that mirrored his very dark looking rhino.

Before she had been assigned to the case that brought them together, Lucy had been fascinated with Gru's work. She read up on his files, knew about every heist and villainous thing he had ever committed and while she knew she had to work to stop a man like him; she always secretly wondered what it would be like to be in his shoes and do the things he had done.

Now that he wasn't a villain, it didn't sway her fascination. After all, he had the moon in his hands yet gave it up. There was no real record to why Gru had done it, at least in the top secret files of the AVL but now being around him she could only assume it had to do with the three girls he now called his own. The fire was going as Lucy paused next to it, looking at the pictures on the mantle. She smiled at the pictures of the girls and her arms crossed while her mind just thought elsewhere.

"Dat went well, hm?"

Lucy turned, giving him a bright smile. "It was a lot of fun. Your girls are great."

"Oh they can be a handful, trust me." His hand went up, waving off as he spoke. "They like to climb, explore, get into fights… well mostly Edith but still. They were on their best behavior tonight."

While he spoke, she broke some of the distance between them. "Why is that?"

Gru looked a bit surprised she even asked. "Because. You were here. They are kids but they know how it was important to…" His words trailed off, growing a bit shy. The endearing quality made her heart beat faster. This was because he wanted things to go well and the girls cared so much about him they were being perfect for Lucy's visit.

"I was nervous too." His eyes met hers, making her flush. "But not anymore."

When his hand took hers, she felt the knots in her stomach return but in a good way. "I got us this old spy movie, if you'd like to watch."

"Sounds perfect."


	14. Bad Dream

_**Bad Dream**_

The sound of crying woke Margo from her slumber. The girl had grown a sixth sense about her two younger siblings; ever since their days at Miss Hattie's. It had to have been early morning as she found her glasses and slipped them on, the night light in the room giving her enough visibility to see Edith crawling from her bomb-bed. But the blonde wasn't the one crying, it had been Agnes, who was sitting up clutching her unicorn.

Edith likely had woken up the same way as Margo. The sisters both went to Agnes' side and Margo couldn't help but feel bad for the girl as she sniffled into the toy. "What's wrong?" She asked softly, arms opened to give her sister a hug.

"He didn't come back." A little whine. "Or Lucy... They didn't come back from the rocket."

Edith crossed her arms, keeping from having an attitude about being woken up. "That was so long ago. Gru and Lucy are married and down the hall, stop thinking about it."

Margo glanced to Edith, frowning. "Don't get so snippy about it." She pulled gently on the little crying girl. "Come on… let's go."

Edith was about to go back to her bed, but instead was grabbed by her little sister. "All of us." She even pouted, with tears still in her eyes.

The trio exited their room with Margo in lead. Just a few doors down were their parent's room and the eldest gave a soft knock on the wood. For a long moment they stood with no other sound Agnes' crying. "Maybe we shouldn't wake them up, you know." Edith chimed in, looking ready to head back to their room.

"Nooooo." Agnes clutched harder to Edith's hand, the other still holding onto her unicorn for dear life. "We have to stay together…"

While the girl tried to pull away the door creaked open. They all looked up to Gru, who was rubbing his eyes. "What-…" Agnes quickly tore away to rush the man in his pajamas, making him blink as she gripped his leg. "What is it, keeten?" Kneeling down, he picked up the crying girl and hugged her close.

"She had a bad dream." Margo adjusted her glasses.

"She wanted us all to come." Edith would have rolled her eyes, but Gru seemed a bit on edge with his youngest crying into his shirt.

A light was turned on in their room and before they knew it Lucy in her nightgown was at Gru's side. "Oh poor thing…"

Agnes reached over, shifting from one parent to the other to give the redhead a hug. Gru glanced down to his other girls. "Well come in, let's all settle down."

Lucy carried Agnes back to bed and the other girls ran in behind her. "Tell me about the dream sweetie." While the girl started to go on about how the rocket exploded and the girls had to go back to Miss Hattie's, Gru settled back in next to them. Edith had enough of the whole thing and lay down next to him not even bothering to ask if he could share his pillow. After Lucy kissed Agnes' head she smiled. "Don't worry, okay? Your dad and I are fine! See?" She nodded her head to the other side of the bed. "You'll never have to worry."

"Even when you guys go on secret spy stuff?"

The question was innocent enough, but it caused Lucy to glance over at her husband. There was always that risk when dealing with these super villains that one of them, or worse, both would not come home. He seemed to understand, his hand reaching across the other two girls to rest on Agnes' head. "Keeten, we'll be fine. No matter what you will be taken care of."

Content with that answer, Agnes settled in to rest on Lucy's shoulder. Keeping the light on to make sure the girls were comfortable the woman lay down with the cuddling girl. Gru yawned, arm just resting across Edith and Margo, who were both already falling asleep. He watched the women in his life start to fall asleep with a light smile, not caring that likely he'd be pushed off in the middle of the night. Those girls kicked way too hard. Lucy included.


	15. PTA

_**PTA **_

"I cannot believe you are making me do dis."

"This is important, you know!" Lucy was driving her car, her partner in the passenger seat. "With three kids in school you should really be more involved in the education they get."

"It is a public school, de keetens have more than enough people to help."

Lucy shot him a side glance, her lips pushed together in frustration. "No more arguing. What I say goes with this."

Groaning, Gru leaned back in the seat. It may have been a little malicious, but Lucy seemed to be pleased he was frustrated with going to a PTA meeting. With her hands on the steering wheel she glanced to the ring on her hand. It had been a few weeks since Gru proposed to her and the wedding was only a few more away. There was going to be responsibilities now. Gru had done a good job being a single dad but Lucy was going to make sure he was involved in every aspect.

When they arrived to the school Lucy almost had to drag him inside. The group of PTA members met in the cafeteria and Gru sunk in a seat like a kid behind forced to see the dentist. Lucy seemed so excited, sitting next to her fiancé with a notepad in hand. People were filing in- mostly women. The majority of them were focused on each other, swapping papers and recipes.

When a woman approached Lucy with a snide smile and extended a hand Gru peered up. "You must be the Gru's." In her other hand was a pile of paperwork and he only assumed she had to be the director of this meeting.

"Yes we are!" Lucy put her hand in the other woman's as she stood from her seat. "Well, soon to be Gru's. He's the Gru, I'm the Wilde." She shrugged with a smile. "Not that I am wild it's just my-"

"Yeah I got it." Her tone made Gru a bit on edge. "But I hate to tell you this, only legal guardians can be involved in the PTA."

"Oh… well I will be very soon you know. Only one month away. I wanted to wait longer but you know how groomzillas can be. And this meeting has to do with…" Lucy looked at her notepad. "Recreational sports! I'm concerned for our middle, she likes to get physical and I'd like to know the schools policy on safety."

The woman rolled her eyes, displeased by the fact Lucy was rambling on. "Darlin', I am not sure you heard me. Only legal guardians."

"Well I am the legal guardian." Gru stood his hand on his fiancé's shoulder. This woman was staring at him with a raised brow. "And I say Lucy here has every right to say what she wants that affects my gurls."

The conversation had a few people listening in now, most having the same expression as the one in front of Lucy. "Your girls?" Gru had never wanted to punch a woman so bad. "..riiight. Adopted, obviously." She gave a soft laugh. "Well once you actually tie the knot- she cannot be involved. Only then can her opinions be… debated."

Gru's face twitched, glancing to Lucy. She looked upset, but was trying to play it off well. "I.. guess that's that then."

The man wasn't going to have it. He gently pulled Lucy back to face the woman. "Let me explain a few things to you." A gasp came from her as Gru snatched the papers from her arm. "Lucy will be my wife and the mother of my gurls in a month. When she comes back in here, you will all treat her with respect or I'll come along with her."

Trying to grab back the papers he took, the woman sneered. "Is that supposed to be a threat?"

Gru stepped back, tossing the papers in the air. While they scattered around he drew his favorite weapon from his coat. Above their heads and around to the ground he made a new ice sculpture of floating papers. In dumbfounded awe the women in the room stared at him, jaw agape.

"Yes, yes it is." Gru gave a grin, stuffing his gun away. "So toodles, ladies. See you in a month."

Lucy was just as shocked as the other mothers as Gru escorted her out. When they reached her car, she finally spoke. "Gru you-"

"Shouldn't have done dat, yadda yadda yadda." He put his hand on the driver's door, ready to open it for her.

Her arms slipped over his shoulders, pulling him closer. The hug was tight and Gru by instinct wrapped his arm around her body. She leaned against him and he leaned against the hood of the car to keep steady. He felt her breath on his cheek before she gave it a kiss. "You're the best fiancé ever."

Gru couldn't help but smile. "Yes I know." His face gave hers a light nuzzle. "Let's pick up ice cream for the gurls on the way home."

"Only if they have it after dinner. No spoiling appetites, no sir." Lucy smirked and drew away, opening her own door. Gru shook his head, moving to get inside the car on the passenger side. While he knew she was good with the girls, it was then he really knew just what kind of mother she'd be. Perfect.


	16. Movie

_**Movie **_

Gru was dozing while reclined on the couch. Around him were his girls, Lucy tucked under one arm, Margo the other. On Lucy's lap Agnes was humming along with the music on the screen and Edith was reclining against her dad. On the TV the girls had picked out some Disney movie that Gru didn't remember buying for them but none the less demanded to see it. It had something to do with lions and being a King and things that just made Gru sleepy.

Lucy tilted her head against his shoulder as the song about can't waiting to be king ended, making Gru pull from sleep. His eyes glanced to her, the woman's face looking towards the screen. For a moment he found it hard to look away. He had a ring upstairs hidden in his dresser. Something he came across when shopping with the girls and had to come back to get. Lucy was perfection for him; she was great with his girls and an amazing woman to him. Of course he wanted to marry her.

But he wasn't a hundred percent sure she'd want to marry him. Obviously they were in love but what if she didn't want to get married at all? They had never discussed it, she never brought it up. Maybe she was content with just being together without the knots tied down.

Agnes seemed to wiggle in Lucy's lap, making the redhead rest her hand on his daughter's head. Long forgetting about the movie on the screen Gru just absorbed the moment of being around his girls and his Lucy. Easily enough he started to doze off again, eyes closing as he would just nap through the rest.

Until he felt a pair of arms wrap around his neck. He blinked awake to see Agnes clutching onto him. "Don't go in a stampede." She muttered. Gru was completely confused, looking to Lucy. She gave a tiny smile, nodding to the TV. Sure enough it seemed the cub's dad was dead.

"Dis is a children's movie?" He said, patting the girls back.

"Hush!" Edith was engrossed in it.

Even if they played it off well, Gru noticed all of his girls had leaned in a bit closer to him after that scene. Agnes finally settled down, crawling back to Lucy's lap. Giving a huff the man slipped his hand down Lucy's shoulder, pulling her closer. On his other side he felt Margo resting her head on him. This time he kept an eye on this movie, until he was sure there were no more dead parent scenes. When the girls were giggling about the little rat and pig, he felt more comfortable about dozing to sleep.

He wasn't sure how long he had been asleep, because when he woke up the movie was over. His family was gone from the couch and for just a split second he was worried. He stretched as he stood, hearing the sounds of someone upstairs.

When he approached the girls' door, he heard Lucy's voice. "..he sticks his nose in this?"

Margo laughed. "It's pretty funny."

"I bet." Lucy joined in the laughter before starting to read. "One big unicorn strong and free thought he was happy as he could be. Then three little kittens came around and turned his whole life upside down!"

Gru heard Lucy give a tiny laugh. It made him wonder what exactly she thought was funny, but she continued on. "They made him laugh! They made him cry. Aww… he never should have said goodbye." She paused again. He almost entered the room but held back. "And now he knows he could never part… from those three little kittens that changed his heart."

It was quiet in the room. Gru knew that story time usually helped the girls pass out so when he finally did enter the room, he wasn't surprised to see Lucy tucking them in. When the woman spotted him, she gave a smile, which he returned. Silently he went to each bed, giving his girls a kiss on their heads.

The adults slipped out of the room and as soon as he shut the door, Lucy's hand was in his. "I liked your story." She whispered, tugging him down the hall.

"Thank you; it is pretty great isn't it?"

Gru happily followed her inside of his room, surprised as she jumped up into his arms the second the door was closed. She clung to him, giving a light sigh. "You have to stop being so cute, Gru."

He raised a brow. "Cute? Never been called that before."

"Believe me, you are." She gave him a kiss, before letting him go. "And you got to stop it. Otherwise I'll just have to move in here." While the words were a jest it hit Gru in a new way. Suddenly he didn't feel worried about asking her to marry him. But that would have to wait for a more perfect time.


	17. Breakup

_**Breakup**_

Anger didn't seem like a strong enough word. The emotion that was racing in his body he hadn't felt in years, well before the girls. It was like he was an entirely new person, not Gru. Lucy, the one who had always brought him joy was now the one who he didn't want to be around.

The pair was sitting outside of their home. Honeymoon over; they had been married for a few months. Gru had no complaints of married life, until now. Lucy was rubbing her temple, agitated just as he was. They had been arguing for the past hour on the ride home from their mission and both refused to go inside until it was settled.

Gru mostly didn't want his girls to hear them. "I didn't say I was proud of being the man I had been." He stated with that certain tone of outrage. "Just dat I had been good at it."

"You basically said you wished you were a villain again."

"Stop putting words in my mouth, Lucy. I adore my gurls. I have no wishes to be that way again."

"Then what does it mean when you say you wish it was the 'good old days'? Is life like this so bad for you?"

His hands gripped each other behind his back. "Life changes and at times, people think of the past. This is all!" He turned toward the door and motioned for it. "Stop over reacting and get inside."

"Over reacting?" She didn't budge from leaning against her car. "Don't you dare brush this off Gru and don't order me around like a child."

"Stop acting like one and maybe I will." His tone turned darker. "My gurls are more behaved than you."

The light of the moon made it easy to see her face. Perhaps there was hurt there, but in his blind rage he couldn't notice. "Your girls..." She stated this matter-of-factly. "I care about them too."

"Yes but I'm de one who saved them. Took care of them."

"You gave them back to that horrible home for girls."

Gru felt as if she had ripped his heart from his chest. She knew exactly what to say to detonate the impatience bomb he had hidden behind his controlled state. He stormed closer to her, hand raised to shove a finger close to her cheek. "That's it. I am done with you, do you understand me? DONE!" Maybe he gave off a bit more emphasis of the last word then needed.

Lucy held a deadpan stare. He was so angry that all he could focus on were those green eyes, narrowed and annoyed. When her hand tore off her wedding ring and slammed it against his chest his chest tightened. He didn't mean this. He didn't mean he wanted...

She moved quickly around her car and got inside, slamming it shut. His voice caught in a dry throat, about to say her name, or anything. But his anger was still in control and a part of him, a deep down dark side of his mind wondered if this was for the best. This marriage would have ended eventually; she was just too good for him.

The car's engine roared as she backed up and sped down the street. In a blink of an eye his Lucy was gone. Looking down at his hand her ring seemed to sparkle in the moonlight. He was tempted to toss it away but held back as his fingers curled around it, then stuck it in a pocket of his coat.

He stormed inside his home and went straight to his lab, still fuming. So what if he felt a little nostalgic from time to time? He from time to time missed that rush of a heist, the knowledge that his name would be forever in the history books as a man who stole something or did something so incredibly bad. It was a pride issue and he knew it.

He walked down the hall to his armory. Many of his weapons or devices were stored here, some that had been up in his home but when the girls became a permanent edition to his family he had them moved. Still holding a temper he didn't bother even looking at a few of his minions that were collectively keeping an eye on him.

Lucy was being over the top with this. Gru never said he wanted to be a villain again. He fought villains now. That wasn't so bad. Her voice echoed in his mind, her expression of annoyance. This was for the best right? She didn't seem to care anyway. The marriage was over.

Raging, Gru picked up the closest weapon he could find; a large axe that dated back several generations. His frustration was going to be let out the only way he knew how. Swinging the large weapon into a nearby metal rack of swords; Gru gave a frustrated shout.

It felt like an hour later, when he tossed the axe to the side. Around him were destroyed weapons, furniture and cases where he kept most of his weaponry. He huffed from the exercise of it, his arms feeling a little limp from heaving the heavy weapon around.

Outside the door, a dozen of his minions were watching in amazement and shock that he had just gone postal on his belongings. While the feeling of wanting to destroy something died down, anger didn't seem to want to leave. "I'm going out." He turned, walking past the parting crowd of minions. "Jerry, Stuart. Watch de gurls."

* * *

Lucy pressed her forehead on the steering wheel. After driving all over town the only place she could think to park was just around the corner from her home. It's not like she had any other place to go, she had moved out of her apartment and all of her belongings were inside the Gru home.

Tears came back, as her hands pressed across her face. Gru didn't mean that she wanted to break up, she knew that. So why did she give him back that ring? Why did she let her anger take over so much? She loved him and her life established with him.

The moon was full so the street seemed brighter than it was. It was enough light to notice a figure turning the corner right in front of her parked car. Gru paused in mid step as he saw Lucy inside of it. He planned on walking off most of his displeasure but seeing the all too familiar blue car made his heart beat faster.

When she saw him her breath caught. He turned around so fast that she almost fell out of her car getting out. "Gru!" Thankfully he stopped, but kept his back towards her. "Gru, come... Come sit in the car with me."

Lucy held her breath until he moved again, this time where she asked him to. It went silent as soon as they sat down. The woman didn't realize just how upset she had been, until the moment she noticed his blank, emotionless stare ahead. He already had accepted this, hadn't he? Gru would never forgive her.

She started to cry. No words, she just rolled her head forward, tears coming without any effort. Her body felt like it had been torn limb from limb and her heart had an ache that almost made it too hard to breathe. Hating herself for breaking down like this she managed an apology to him, barely audible between her quiet sobs.

It didn't surprise her much that he got back out of the car. When the door slammed shut it all she could think about was how she'd have to say goodbye to those little girls, pack up her things and fly across the globe.

A shake and her door opened. Blinking through the tears she gazed up at Gru, who opened his hand to her. He still looked irritated but she wouldn't refuse him; her hand slipped in his and before she knew it the ring she ripped off out of spite was placed back on her finger.

"I'm sorry." He flatly stated. Like any typical ex-villain he hated to admit to any wrong doing, but he seemed to be forcing it out to make her stop crying. Unfortunately she now had a new set of tears out of relief. Tugging on her hand she slipped out, welcoming his arm around her with a soft sigh.

They embraced, Gru holding her closer then she could remember him doing before. When his lips kissed her neck she had the feeling he had been just as lost as she was for an hour.

"Can we never fight again?" He murmured, before drawing back. His fingers cupped her neck as the redhead just gave a short nod.

Fingers found one another as he shut her car door, leading her back down the street to their home.

_**I had a prompt on tumblr to make them break up. I was so sad to write it. But its not like I could KEEP them broken up. They are my OTP. x.x**_


	18. Injured

**_Injured_**

"Gru put me down."

"No, no. You cannot walk on et yet."

"I have crutches!"

Refusing to set her down, Gru maneuvered in an odd grace to close the car door behind him and head up the lawn to his home. Lucy had both arms around his neck while he carried her, clearly displeased on being lugged around. Her left foot was wrapped up in a cast from a small injury on the pair's last mission. Luckily Gru escaped with a few bruises and cuts but if it hadn't been for Lucy showing up last minute he could have been dead.

When he approached the door he had readied himself to enter with one hand still holding up his girlfriend but instead it swung open from an inner source. The three girls stood there, all with the same look of concern.

"Lucy!"

"What happened?"

"Did you kick a guy's face in?!"

The trio was around Gru as he walked in, Lucy giving a bright smile at the girls. "Don't worry it's okay, just a broken ankle. Doctor said I'll be okay in a few weeks!"

The man carrying her was silent, taking her into his living room and setting her carefully down on the couch. He muttered something about getting her crutches before leaving the girls around Lucy. The woman watched him leave, giving a frown. Before getting too worried however, Agnes crawled up on the couch next to her. "Can I kiss it better?"

Her hand rested on the girls head, putting on a loving smile. "I think you better save that healing kiss for something extra special. I'll be okay."

On her other side, Edith took a seat. "So tell us how it happened!"

Lucy took a deep breath, rubbing her hands together as if gearing herself up. "There I was, all alone in this dark room! This guy we had been after wasn't a fan of light you see, but I found my handy night vision goggles. With a few picks of the lock I managed to sneak out of the room and searched the hideout for Gru!"

The girls were hanging on her every word, Margo just sitting on the ground in front of the couch. "When I found him he had been tied up! After freeing him the pair of us rushed to escape, but right as we approached the hatch out, bam! Booby trap! The ground started to open underneath us and I managed to shove Gru out of the way. I fell in, and well." She motioned to her bandaged leg. She had a few other bruises around her other leg and she was thankful the girls couldn't see any of the other tender spots.

"Gru pulled me out of the pit and carried me to safety, the big lug."

The man had been listening with a mild scowl, in his hands the pair of crutches Lucy would need to get around. "Sounds like an exciting time." Margo glanced to her adoptive father.

"Oh yes, very exciting." Gru said sarcastically, before setting the crutches and a small bag down close to the couch. "Now listen up." He looked over his girls, hands folded behind his back. "While Lucy heals, she'll be staying here with us. I'll sleep on the couch; she'll stay in my room. While she is a visitor-"

"Oh! Lucy! We can have a sleep over!" Edith grinned, attention gone from Gru.

"Yeah yeah!" Agnes jumped up, taking Lucy's hand. "I can braid your hair and we can have tea time and I'll tuck you in!"

Lucy giggled along with them, giving a nod. "I say yes to all of that."

Giving a soft huff, Gru headed out of the room, hands behind his back. "I'll get started on dinner."

Margo entered the kitchen to find Gru sitting on a stool, his hand flipping through a phonebook. While it had been over an hour since they arrived home and came in here, he hadn't started to cook anything. With a quizzical look on her features the eldest daughter lifted herself up to sit next to him.

When he noticed, Gru seemed to jerk out of his depressed state. He flipped the pages quicker, while speaking. "Not a single thing to cook, how about Chinese, hm? Or pizza? I'll even spurge on that stuffed crust you gurls like."

"You're down about something." Her arms crossed, studying him and his reaction.

For a moment, Gru just stared at her. "It's just dat..." Fingers gripped the bridge of his nose, before shaking off the frustration. "I feel badly Lucy was hurt, dat is all."

Margo smiled, giving a small shrug. "You really care about her, huh?"

He blinked, but only gave a nod as an answer.

"Don't worry so much, Lucy seems just fine." Margo slipped off the stool, letting him go back to his thoughts. "Oh and stuffed crust sounds perfect."

After ordering dinner he wandered back to the living room. Instead on relaxing on the couch his partner was on a pile of pillows and leaning against the couch. Agnes was busy brushing out the woman's hair, which she had taken down to let the girls have their fun. Edith and Margo sat on Lucy's sides, one showing her something on her phone while the other was drawing something on a sketchbook.

The scene was very touching to him, until he saw Lucy's foot propped up on a few pillows. That feeling of guilt was just not so easily dismissed. "Gru, come here!" Agnes waved him down. Approaching he managed to slip in behind Edith and sit on the couch. "Do you like her hair down?"

Lucy smirked as she was checking out some video on Margo's phone; she listened to the pair behind her. "Yes, I like it up too. She has very lovely hair." Gru sounded off but was content to feel the back of his fingers brush across her neck as he touched her hair.

Agnes giggled, before acting like she was braiding half of Lucy's head. It was more of a twist as the girl wasn't sure how to braid yet. "See Lucy, Gru thinks you're pretty."

"Well I'll be!" She sounded a little over the top, but it made Gru smile. "He does like me! I can sleep contently tonight, girls."

"She knows I love her." His daughter at his feet made a 'yuck' sound, making Gru feel like laughing. At least Edith didn't care about boys. Yet.

Lucy leaned her head back, looking at Gru upside down. "You stop with the mushy stuff before I pinch you."

Agnes was in distress about Lucy's hair. "Wait I haven't finished yet!" Lucy snapped her attention back to in front of her, letting the littlest finish styling.

Deep down she really loved how the dark haired girl was obsessing over her hair. "What's for dinner, anyway?"

"There was no food so I ordered pizza. Stuffed crust."

"Oooh stuffed crust." All four said in unison, making Gru shake his head.

For the rest of the night it was relaxing enough, with Lucy eventually being moved back to the couch after they ate. With her head on Gru's lap the woman fell asleep with the two younger girls across her. The television was on some random cartoons, but Gru wasn't focused on it like his girls were.

Lucy's cast always seemed to draw his attention. It wasn't exactly like the injury was life threatening. But it could have been so much worse.

Lucy's story wasn't so far off. She had played it down with the girls but in reality Gru had been in a real bind. The AVL assigned him to infiltrate the hideout and while he had accomplished gathering the launch codes for this wack-jobs evil plan, he ended up being knocked out. So when Lucy found him wrapped up in explosives she managed to deactivate that set. But the building, after being compromised was set to implode on itself and bury the two agents deep down under the earth's crust.

When the pair rushed out of there Gru didn't think twice to check for traps, so when he crossed over the exit line the floor gave way. Lucy had been behind him, yelling for him to jump and shoved him aside. When he realized that she instead slipped into the trap his heart paused. Worry was an understatement. With the ground shaking and the walls starting to crack he called out to her in that pit, but all he heard was her muffled voice.

Finally, he used the best judgment he could and shot his grappling hook on the side and swung down. His Lucy was between two very large and very sharp metal spikes- one which Gru almost landed on. When she saw him her hand reached up. Pulling her to safety he hauled her over his shoulder and back up the wall, narrowly escaping the ground caving in. The cold air of the Rockies made him short of breath after running so far from the now gaping hole in the surface.

Looking back on it, he couldn't help that guilt. She had a scratch from the tip of one of those spikes down her leg and her ankle was broken, but what if she fell just a few more inches one way or another? His larger form would have been impaled without a second beat. If he had just paid attention she wouldn't have had to push him out of the way. She wouldn't have fallen and had a close encounter of death.

"What are you thinking about, big guy?" Her voice startled him out of staring at her cast. She was half asleep; Agnes curled up on her chest. The girls had all been starting to doze.

Gru put on a smile, but Lucy knew it wasn't genuine. "Oh nothing. I should get de gurls to bed."

Lucy moved off his lap so he could stand and he took the youngest in his arms. Margo and Edith gave Lucy a small wave and a yawn filled goodnight before all of them headed upstairs.

Lucy just continued to relax, waiting for Gru to come back. He had been acting weird the last day or so, since their mission. While it had been a tough one, it wasn't like Gru to be so distant. Lucy wasn't sure when she fell asleep, only when she felt his arms around her to lift her from the couch. To her surprise the whole house was ready for nighttime and Gru had already turned down the bed.

"I hope you know you're staying in bed with me."

She liked how he blushed. "I should stay on the couch, so I don't get in your way."

"In my way? Pfft." She leaned in to let her lips be very close to his ear. "I'd rather you keep me up all night."

Gru gave a soft huff, but didn't smile. It was starting to annoy her now, everyone she flirted he always smiled. "Tell me what's wrong." Gru set her down on the bed softly, ready to escape the questions. But Lucy held her arms around his neck and refused to let go. "You're not leaving my grasp until you tell me!"

"Lucy!" He started to try and wiggle free but her clutch was just too strong. "Fine! Let me go and I'll tell you."

"Nope, I am not that gullible. Tell me!"

"It was my fault you were hurt." He groaned a bit, mad he had to bend over the bed with her latching on. "I should have watched my steps."

"Wait." She let him go, blinking up in surprise. "You feel guilty?"

Now free, he moved to the other side of the bed, rubbing his head as he did so. "If I had just been care-"

"Gru, stop there." When she moved slightly, patting the bed Gru took a seat next to her. "You just stop feeling that way right now. Be thankful that we both came home. That your girls have their dad right now and I am in your bed."

Her smile was contagious. "I am thankful for that."

"Good." Her hand spread across the bed to take his. "Now, I think you should help me undress then sleep in this bed with me."


	19. Spar

_**Spar**_

When Lucy first went down into Gru's lab he seemed hesitant to let her really explore. It could have been due to the fact that he had a vault filled with items of his villain days, but she didn't mind that. Gru had a large set up for his minions too, barracks and a very large social area. When she could she enjoyed stopping in there, talking to the munchkins and learning more about them. After all she was going to marry Gru and this was a big part of his life.

After walking down one of the many halls she came across a workout room. Some machines were small enough for the minions and others were obviously for a taller person. She couldn't help but grin as an idea came to her.

"Wait what?" Gru blinked, head raised from the things he had laid out on his desk. The girls had already headed to school and he usually kept himself busy with new inventions early in the morning.  
Lucy had come in wearing a workout suit of pants and tank. "Let's spar! I don't think you and I have ever trained together."

"Yes well, I am not going to be doing that." He tried to put his attention back to the metal mess on his desk but Lucy wasn't about to give up.

"Come on! I need to stay on top of things. And it wouldn't hurt you to learn a few moves either."

He gave her a narrowed stare. "Is that some sort of jab at me?"

She grinned, her hand raised as if she was going to block something. "Maybe it is, what are you going to do about it?"

* * *

Before he knew it he was suckered into standing on a padded mat, across from her. He pulled the scarf from his neck and Gru let out a huff. "I don't normally do de hand to hand things."

Lucy was rocking back and forth on her heels, ready to attack. Fists were balled up and the woman was shaking out her shoulders. "I'll go easy on you."

While she was shocked that she even got him to join in, she was even more surprised when he rushed at her with a starting right hook. Unfortunately for him, she had plenty of training of self-defense. His arm was blocked back by her forearm and a quick step and extension of her leg Gru tumbled over her. When he landed she stepped away, giving a light laugh.

Her laugh only caused him to jump up faster. His hands quickly unzipped his jacket. "You are going to suffer the wrath of Gru."

"Oh, how cute. You –almost- sound intimidating."

His expression was enough to get her laughing again. He came at her again, seemingly more agile and quicker than before. When her leg kicked up to block his hand grabbed her. She couldn't help but gasp as he jerked her limb towards him, making her body shove against his torso. In a quick turn she was tossed aside on the pad.

He had a smug look on his face, before she rolled back on her feet and lunged. When her arms slipped around him all Gru could do was try and roll her off but the sudden headlock made him buckle down to one knee. Using that leverage she managed to roll him by pulling her to her side, satisfied to hear him groan as he hit the mat.

She stood up, giving a cheer. "Ha! That's two for me!"

"Best out of five."

About an hour later Gru let out a grunt as Lucy pinned him to the ground. Both were heated from the workout, but Lucy still managed to just sit on him, arms raised. "Yaay! I knew I could take you… I think that takes the cake, sweetheart."

He lay there, catching his breath. When his eyes caught hers he just gave a low groan. She couldn't help but laugh at his annoyed expression. Her hands went to her own hips, shrugging barely. "Just admit I won and I'll let you up." His fingers curled around her wrists quickly and with the last bit of energy he had, Gru pulled her down and shifted his body. Before she knew it, Lucy was pinned under him for a change.

While she was ready to escape- his face coming to hers made her pause. Her heart raced for a second as Gru tilted his head, pressing his lips on hers passionately. The sudden feeling of his hands on her arms, his lips tugging on hers and the press of his leg between her own made her shudder without warning. The heat from his skin made her light headed, they had worn each other out but in no way would she refuse a make out session.

When one hand slipped to her side and his lips tore away to get some air, she saw his flushed cheeks and could only guess her own were the same. "What was that for?" Her knee bent, letting her leg rest alongside his. He could only smirk.

"For winning." When he started to stand he pulled her up with him.

"That's all I get?" Her playful voice made Gru blink. "I was hoping for a bit more than that."

"What did you have in mind?"

She saw his brow rise and the mischievous twitch of his lips. "I'll show you. Let's get upstairs. We're taking a shower."

"…as in together?"

She loved how shy he could be, that simple suggestion made him almost physically squirm in his shoes. Leaning in she secretly loved how his eyes were looking over her face. "Yes. Both of us. Or are you going to deny me?"

Gru shook his head, suddenly walking with her in tow. "You win, you get what you want." He said, trying to sound like he would sacrifice. Although she was pretty sure it was what they both wanted.


	20. Rainstorm

_**First off, thank you everyone who reviews 3 It really keeps me going. I have been shipping these two so hard and I love that everyone adores them as much as I do.**_

_**Ready for a bit of angst? I wrote this on a whim. My favorite part of the movie is this scene so I decided to write what was going on in Gru's head. I may relate to him more and more as I write.**_

_**Rainstorm**_

It was starting to rain before he arrived home. The feeling of the cold water was mildly refreshing but to Gru it was also very fitting to his mood. Just a few hours before he had felt so exhilarated, the idea that maybe… just maybe he could find the courage to ask Lucy out was ripped from his fingers before he could even think of what to say.

Years of rejection made it easy to stay alone so long. There had been many times he had tried to flirt, tried to act like something he wasn't, attempted to swoon a woman to agree seeing him again. The one or two who he managed to get to some level with ended up leaving before any new feelings could emerge. Loneliness was always there. Even with his girls.

Not to say he didn't love having a warm home filled with their laughter, it was those three girls that kept him from going mad. But there were still some nights he'd lay in his dark room and wish for someone, anyone, to just look at him with love.

Lost in these thoughts Gru almost walked by his house. The girl's toys were scattered across his lawn, forgotten about during the midday rainstorm. With a light sigh he approached his door but found refuge on the steps. The emotion of the day was rough, with the realization that he really did like his redheaded partner only for her to say goodbye.

Maybe this was for the best. Gru had always seen himself more of a loner anyway. For years he spent his life just committing crimes, dodging the badgering comments from his mother and overall enjoying life. Margo, Edith and Agnes were the best things to come into his life since then, making the very idea of being 'evil' much less appeasing. Why did he need anything else? Lucy was a smart, beautiful and crazy woman but it's not like her leaving would change everything.

None the less, his chest felt heavy and her smiling face wasn't leaving his head. He barely knew her yet, he didn't have emotional ties. Did he? Another sigh as he blinked away some of the rain catching in his eyes. He had to get over this. Another rejection, even if not intentional. Sweep it under the rug and ignore the heartache he'd have for a few weeks.

The door opened behind him. For a second he didn't register it until the light from inside cast a tiny shadow at his side. "I brought you an umbrella."

Gru turned, looking over his shoulder. His youngest was holding the much larger umbrella close to her form, putting on a smile. For a moment his heartache did melt away, Agnes was beyond kind and sweet. So much a daddy's girl he couldn't help but smile and take the item from her so she could sit. "Ah thank you."

"What are you doing out here?" Her simple question made him pause. She was young, much too young to really understand why he was hurting so badly. Her concern however, was genuine.

He tried to explain it the best way he knew how. "Remember when you said, that I liked Lucy? Well." Gru glanced away, trying to keep himself from sounding too broken over it. "It turns out… you're right."

Her excitement made it harder. "Really?"

"Yes, but. Well she's moving away. I'm never going to see her again." Saying it seemed to make even more permanent. He could feel the pain return, even with his daughter right next to him. They both went silent for a moment, making Gru just as lost as before. What else could he say? Lucy would just have to leave his mind completely.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

Gru gave a sad smile. "Uh.. I don't... I don't think so, sweetheart."

"Well is there anything you could do?"

Agnes was smarter than her years would assume. As he thought on that, there really was something he could do. Lucy likely wasn't leaving for a couple of days, maybe he could at least let her know how he had been feeling. Ask her out on a date and see if she'd feel the same. Glancing to Agnes, he couldn't help but smile at his little girl's precious face. "Maybe dere is." Standing, he motioned for them to go inside; which they did after a shake of the folding umbrella.

Gru would call Lucy up and ask her out. At least if he could get that done, he could say he tried.


	21. Three Kittens

**_I get a lot of requests for stories including the girls. So here is three little one shots with each girl; trying to keep it a one on one relationship between the girls and Lucy. =3 Enjoy!_**

**_Three Kittens_**

**Margo**

Lucy woke up in the middle of the night, stretching out her stiff muscles. She and her fiancé had recently arrived back home from a mission and it always threw off her sleeping patterns. Not Gru, he was sleeping deeply at her side. Giving a soft yawn she managed to scoot out from his gasp and slip off his large bed. Usually a walk around helped her fall back asleep, but she also enjoyed a little snack now and then.

So still in her pajamas of a t-shirt and shorts the woman headed out of his room; pausing to turn on the light in the hallway. To her surprise, right across the hall and on the ground, was a brunette huddled against the wall. Just as shocked to see Lucy, Margo sniffed and quickly tried to hide that she had been crying.

"Margo.. What's wrong?" She said softly, taking the few steps to close the gap between them.

The girl jumped up, then ran. The sounds of her bare feet hitting the stairs echoed for a moment then it was silent again.

Lucy couldn't move for a moment, she wasn't sure if she should chase her, go back and wake Gru or just let the girl be by herself. A split decision made, she started walking quickly, but quietly to the steps. The darkness crept back as the hall light became further away, but Lucy kept her quick pace as she descended the stairs. The sound of a door closing made her realize where the girl went.

By the bathroom door Lucy just stood, eyes noticing the slit of light coming from the room. Inside she could hear small sounds, likely Margo was trying to be as stealthy as possible. Lucy gave a sigh, sitting down on the ground. "Margo, I won't bite."

"Just go away." It wasn't really like Margo to have an attitude, but it wasn't like she was exactly in the best of moods.

Ignoring the request, Lucy settled herself to lean on the door. "Not until you tell me what's wrong."

"You wouldn't get it, okay?"

Lucy glanced around her, the darkness of the house seeming deeper than before. "Even so, you can tell me."

Long pauses were never fun. They usually made Lucy uncomfortable, to the point where she'd start talking about anything but what was going on. She tried to ride this one out, turning her head to listen for the sounds behind the wood door. There was a soft thump, as if the girl took a seat on the ground like Lucy did.

"I dreamed about my mom."

This caused Lucy to double take. "...Your mom?"

"Yeah." While she didn't sound like she was crying anymore, the tone she had almost made Lucy want to cry. "It's not like I knew her, but she didn't want me."

Lucy pulled her legs up, one hand clutching the other's writs to hug herself. Growing up, Lucy had a normal childhood. Parents, single child, nice house and even a dog. So while she couldn't quite understand what level of abandonment Margo and the other girls felt, she didn't want them to feel like that now. "How often do you dream about her?"

"When I was younger, all the time. When I met Edith and Agnes at Miss Hattie's it was once a month or so. Since I've come here… well this is the second time."

"Tell me about her? That is, what you see when you dream about her." Lucy wondered for a moment if Gru knew about this. Maybe the first time she had the dream here she had gone to Gru's room, but this time she didn't go in because Lucy was there. That made her feel guilty, but told herself she was overthinking it.

"I don't ever see her face really." Lucy could hear a sigh. "Just that feeling... Like someone is there, hugging me. Telling me they love me. Then before I can really grasp it, she just sort of… walks away. I cry out and but she…"

Eyes closed and Lucy just let her head rest on the door. She could hear the familiar sound of crying once again, the poor girl was breaking down again. "You know…" She wasn't even sure what she could say, but there had to be something. "Margo, you're so smart. A lot smarter than other kids your age. "

This likely wasn't a great pep talk. "You have a family here, even if it's a bit odd. You have two sisters who look up to you now and Gru…" She trailed off, her eyes opening. The hall didn't seem as dark as before. "Gru is here, he wouldn't let anything happen to you. Sure he can be over-protective but that's not the worst thing he could be."

It was quiet again, which was somewhat of a good sign. "So don't… you know. Get down on yourself, if you are. You are wanted and loved, okay? By all of us."

When the door opened behind her Lucy caught her body before she fell over. Margo stood there, smiling lightly. Her face was a little red from the crying but at least had a more cheerful expression. Lucy returned the smile.

"Even you?"

Lucy grinned, letting her legs go to wrap on arm around the girl. "Even me, kiddo."

A tight hug later they held hands to the kitchen where Lucy made a couple of peanut butter sandwiches. They both munched in silence, Lucy resting her hand on Margo's back as they finished their last mouthful. Back upstairs she let the girl go alone in the room, but not before one more hug from the brunette.

When she slipped into bed, she almost giggled how Gru seemed to instinctively wrap his arm around her. Snuggling up to her soon to be husband the woman closed her eyes and tried to make a mental note to talk to Gru in the morning.

**Edith**

Lucy had always been a very tough person; she faced villains without a trace of fear and always kept a level head when head to head with danger. She had high marks in the training process when she became an AVL agent and was always praised for her unique style of combat.

But being babysitter to a sick child was a whole new level. Gru usually would have his minions take care of his daughter but Edith was a little too free spirited and easily manipulated the little munchkins to stray from their tasks. With the other girls at school and Gru being integrated on a villain at the AVL Lucy had no choice but to use her time off to watch the girl.

She didn't mind horribly, she loved that Gru trusted her and that the girls enjoyed her company enough. Edith was a handful, according to Gru. However, when Lucy was watching over her, she seemed just fine. She had been in bed all day with the cold, sleeping off the fever she had since that morning when Lucy arrived.

Every now and then Lucy checked on her, peering in the room and when she saw that familiar pink hat she'd smile and leave. Remembering a story Gru told her, Edith never took that cap off. The one time he managed to take it off her to wash it the girl sabotaged one of his experiments; causing a fire. After that he just snuck it off when she slept.

It was around lunchtime when Lucy made some soup for Edith, thankful that it was easy to just stick in the microwave. Gru was a great cook. She was not. Leaving the bowl to cool she went back to the girls room. "Edith, I made..." She paused, spotting the empty beds. It hadn't been more than twenty minutes since she last checked on her so Lucy knew she couldn't have gone far. "Edith!" After a quick sweep of their room she left it.

Wandering the halls, Lucy sporadically called out Edith's name, poking her head into various storage areas and closets. At the end of the main hallway was Gru's room, where Lucy had spent a few nights since they had started dating. Peering inside, she was a little relieved to see a hump under the covers, shifting to get comfortable.

"Edith?"

The hump froze for a second, and then slipped the cover off her pink cap. She sat there looking at Lucy with a red nose and cheeks, scowl plain. "I got uncomfortable." The girl then proceeded to take the pillow Gru used and cuddled on it.

Lucy couldn't help but smile. "That's fine, I doubt Gru minds you in here. But I made soup, would you like some?"

"Does it have red in it?"

Lucy blinked. "Red?"

"Gru always adds that red stuff. Makes the soup turn red." She sniffed, rubbing her nose.

Lucy went to Gru's nightstand and grabbed a tissue, sitting down on the bed. Edith squirmed a bit but let the woman rub her nose for her. "If you mean dye, no... I can try and find some. Why do you like red color in it?"

"It makes it look all bloody." Her expression was deadpan. "So I feel like a vampire."

It made laugh, even if Edith was dead on serious. "Alright I'll find some and add it. But you should come downstairs to eat it."

Stopping briefly in the girls' room to grab her blanket Lucy carried the sick girl down to eat. After finding the red dye she made the modifications needed for Edith to sip the broth. "Is there anything else I should know about food that Gru does?" While she was asking this for future reference if she'd have to watch the kids, she found it adorable that her boyfriend tended to his kids in such a way.

"Um." Edith paused from eating to think. "When he makes pancakes they are always in different shapes. I like the dead body ones."

Lucy sat across from her at the table, her chin resting on her fist. "You're lucky to have him do that for you."

The girl gave her a look, while she sipped more of the red broth. After a big gulp she wiped her nose on the back of her hand, ignoring the napkin Lucy had left for her. "He's the best dad I've had."

In her mind Lucy remembered when Gru told her of the events that lead to him adopting the girls. But he never specified what their histories were, or if they even told him. She didn't want to pry, obviously being in a home for orphaned girls was damaging enough for children but what Edith said had her a bit curious. "How many dads have you had?"

Edith looked a little uncomfortable at first and Lucy was going to quickly change the subject but after tugging on her pink cap, she spoke. "Gru is my third dad so far."

The woman rested her hand softly over her other, eyes of emerald just paying close attention to the girl. Edith finally took the napkin to wipe her nose, sniffing lightly after. "My other dads were okay, but tried too hard. I was in two houses before Miss Hattie's."

"And… their wives?" She wasn't sure how to phrase it, maybe these were single men or different. She could have said 'moms' but that could have come off a little too invading. It was shocking enough that Edith was being so open about her previous foster parents.

Edith gave a frown. "They both didn't like me."

Her cap tugged down further, almost covering her eyes completely. Lucy couldn't help to feel bad for her, just like the other girls they had been through a rejection rich life. But now they had Gru, a man whose whole demeanor changed when around them. "Gru loves you." She said with a smile, trying to sound upbeat. "So that's what matters, right?"

Edith gave a small smile, before sniffling into her napkin. "Yeah. He's weird. I love that."

After cleaning up the bowl Lucy brought the blonde into the living room and put on a Bruce Lee movie for her. They both bundled up on the couch while the film played and about halfway through it she realized the girl passed out while cuddled against her. Quietly she pushed back that pink cap, just enough to kiss the girl on her forehead. She didn't feel warm anymore, so likely by dinnertime she'd be that much better. With the sounds of some kung-fu type fighting going on in the background, Lucy fell comfortably asleep with the girl against her.

**Agnes**

Lucy loved being married. At first she wasn't entirely sure what to expect from becoming a Gru, she had already been staying with Gru so often and spending so much time with the girls it wasn't a hard adjustment to move in fully. But to actually call his house their house, to say that Gru was her husband and she was a wife; it was bliss. She could enjoy every moment in his life as it was hers, and vice versa.

After a month of being his wife Lucy was fully into the swing of things around the house. Gru was a very scheduled man when it came to the girls, dinnertime and bedtime. It was a quality she noticed when they were dating; he was always so prompt about being on time and having things planned out. She didn't mind it; she was more a free-spirited kind of person. At least he never tried to fix that about her.

Gru was getting ready to leave to the store like every Tuesday night. Sometimes Lucy went with him, sometimes not. Usually the girls would accompany him but Agnes basically begged to stay home with Lucy.

"Are you sure it's okay?" He asked his wife, while the littlest clung to Lucy's leg like a leech.

She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Yeah its fine! I can handle a little girl time."

Even married, Gru didn't want to push the girls on Lucy more than needed. It wasn't a trust issue, more of a worry. Gru took in these girls with no intention of anyone helping raise them, so even if Lucy was glad to be the 'mom' role, Gru wanted her to be comfortable. So with a smile Gru led his other girls out to do some shopping.

Both Lucy and Agnes watched the car pull out and drive off, before they gave each other broad grins. "Plan worked perfectly!" Lucy cheered, giving the little girl a high five.

"Yeah! Let's get to upstairs!"

The pair rushed up the stairs, giggling like they were both six year olds. When they reached the brightly decorated girl room the woman took a seat on the ground, minding the fact she was in her dress. Agnes dug into her bed, pulling from it a box. "Okay you gotta promise not to say anything."

Lucy gave a stern nod. "If I break this promise then you have permission to hate me forever."

Agnes gave a little sweet giggle, before moving to sit across from Lucy. Presenting the box, she seemed excited for Lucy to open it. It wasn't anything fancy; in fact the box looked like an old jewelry box that had seen better days. Opening the top, Lucy spotted what looked to be a bracelet, black in color. But the white lettered beads stood out. Using her finger she rolled it to see what it said; 'Daddy'.

"I made it at school." Agnes spoke up, standing to glance inside the box as well. "Look!" She pointed to one bead, after the word. It looked like a homemade bead that used to have various colors in it but got mushed into various shades of grey. "I made that one in art."

Lucy couldn't help but laugh, the bracelet was defiantly crafted by a child but Agnes had been guarding this thing like it was the Royal Jewels. The only reason Lucy had this privilege to view it was because she had come across the box a few nights ago tucking the girls in. Agnes begged her not to say and asked if she could give her a 'private showing'.

"It's great, sweetheart." She closed the box then handed it back. The girl hugged it close. "Why haven't you given it to him yet?"

"Because…" Agnes took a seat on the ground, looking up at Lucy with wide eyes. "I want it to be perfect. He wanted it to be perfect when he gave you your ring."

Lucy felt her smile grow, while her hand rested on Agnes' head. "I think anytime is a perfect time. He's a dad all the time, you know."

The girl nodded a few times. "Yeah… you're right!" She jumped up to put the box back away. Lucy suddenly scooped her up, fingers tickling the girls' sides until she was screaming with laughter. She set her down so she could calm, but the giggles continued for a few minutes afterwards.

"Since you were great enough to show me your treasure, you deserve a couple cookies and milk."

Hours passed and soon enough the rest of the family got home and kids were being put to bed. Most nights it was both of them who tucked them in, but Lucy was finishing up cleaning when Gru took the task. She was sitting on a stool when Gru came into the kitchen. His arm around her waist made her smile; his quick kiss on her hair caused her to glance up at him. "Are they asleep?"

He nodded. "Yes." He leaned on the counter, hands resting on it. It didn't take very long to notice a new thing on Gru's wrist. While Lucy had seen it before, she played it off well when her hand lowered to his and a finger tapped on the child made bracelet. Her brow rose, as if asking what it was. Gru chuckled, pulling back his jacket sleeve to show it off. "Agnes made it."

The look on his face was priceless. He loved his girls without expecting anything back from them, so to him the bracelet was more than a few beads. It was like a mark of honor. "I like it. You should wear it all the time." He gave a soft laugh, but didn't rebuke it.


	22. Uncomfortable

_**Thank you Anonymous. This is the sort of stuff I love to write little one shots for, real life! xD I love thinking of these characters in situations like this. I hope this works!**_

_**Uncomfortable**_

Gru had been dreading this moment ever since he adopted his girls. This and boys. Usually they could come hand in hand, depending on how quickly the girl matured. Margo had always been mature for her age so when he got the call from the school nurse… He had no idea how complex this could be.

Apparently his eldest finally had her first womanly experience. She went to the school nurse, but when the nurse called Gru to inform him he went silent over the phone. What was he supposed to do now? Of course he'd have to go to the store and get the needed supplies for when she came home…

So when he slipped into the pharmacy he tried to be as discrete as possible. Casual, he kept telling himself. After all, this was a natural thing all girls went through. He'd have to go through it two more times. It wasn't anything to be embarrassed about.

That is until he saw the wall of feminine products. Boxes and boxes of various sizes and colors. Words like super, regular and wings. How could there be such an assortment and who would ever need so many choices?

Gru felt his eye twitch, this was beyond frustrating. He could go get Margo, bring her here and have her pick something but then that would cause the girl to have to bring some sort of embarrassment on herself to stand in line with him… Right?

He huffed and picked up one box, it was pink, had a picture of some clouds and seemed frilly enough. That is best. Extra frilly is best. But then the idea that maybe she didn't want it to be so noticeable. Ladies were discrete about their time of the month. And would she need something for the cramps?

He set the box back down. He tried to imagine himself as Margo, what she'd want. Maybe something a bit more womanly, more mature. But then that could come across as too boring. Of course he was judging by box designs alone. What kind of protection did she need?

He thought of Lucy then. What was it his wife used? He never got them before; she always had it taken care of. Then he realized that she could help with this.

"Can I help you find something?"

A guy appeared who worked there, glancing between Gru and the shelves. If this didn't make it more awkward then he wasn't sure what would. "No I'm fine." With a grimace he snatched up several boxes, one of each color and shape. The associate watched with wide eyes as Gru tried to carry all the merchandise to the counter.

The woman at the register gave him a smile. "Not many husbands do this for their wives."

He screamed inwardly, his hand digging in his pocket for the cash. "Daughter." He managed to mutter while she bagged everything up.

"What a nice dad!" She continued. "She's growing up, that's so hard. I remember when my eldest went through the same thing, oh the hormones and the mood swings…"

She kept going. Gru was past the point of being annoyed. As she blabbed on and on she was taking forever to bag his items. With a few people behind him all he could think of was how annoying her voice was.

"Oh get ready for the boy talk too, man I remember my girls wanted to date a new boy each week and-"

"Freeze ray!" He yelled, pulling his favorite weapon out. With a shocking gasp from a few people behind him, the woman's voice was cut off by being frozen in spot. Huffing he grabbed his various bags and walked out, feeling a little less embarrassed.

"Gru… What's all that?"

When he got home he was shocked to see Lucy and Margo both sitting on the living room couch. He looked at the clock. "What… Why are you home so early?"

Margo seemed a little bashful, but shrugged. "I wasn't feeling well so I text Lucy… She picked me up from school."

His wife grinned at him, and then looked at the bags again. Almost instantly she seemed to understand. Slipping away from Margo she walked to Gru and took some of the bags. "Sit tight kiddo, I'm going to talk to your dad."

Still a bit dumbfounded Gru was led to the kitchen. Lucy gave a little laugh as she looked at all the items he got. "You know it only lasts a couple days right?"

"She text you?" Gru gave a groan. "De nurse called me, I figured I'd…" He stared at her. "You already got stuff, didn't you."

Lucy gave a nod, setting the bags on the counter. "I'm sorry sweetie. I guess I should have called you. She was just embarrassed."

Gru suddenly grabbed the bags from the counter and stormed off. Trying to hold back a laugh Lucy went back to the living room while he stormed upstairs. Before she could sit back down she heard a loud noise, then the fire alarm going off. In a yellow blur about three of his minions ran up the stairs with a fire hose.

Lucy rolled her eyes as she sat down next to Margo. "I swear he's a drama queen."


	23. Question

_**Gaaaaah I love you all who review and add to favorites =D It keeps me going!**_

_**Question**_

"How does seven sound?" Lucy Wilde of the AVL was busy at work, shuffling through some old paperwork while her shoulder propped the cell phone she was using against her ear.

On the other line the man she loved sounded a bit busy himself, but wanted to call her like he did almost every day; this time to finalize the plans for that evening. "Works fine. I'll meet you there... Uh.. can you wear dat dress I like?"

His comment brought a smile to her lips even as she was so busy filing a few folders. Maybe tonight he wanted her to stay over. "You got it, big guy. See you tonight. Loves!"

His voice responded with a word of love then they both hung up. While this would be yet another date on their notch, Lucy still got a small thrill of knowing Gru wanted to take her out and dote on her. The thrill grew when she recalled his voice when he asked her to wear that dress.

Shaking off the butterflies in her stomach she buckled down to get back focused on work.

It was a few minutes past seven when she finally arrived at the restaurant they had agreed to meet at. Usually Gru was prompt, always there before she was. But this time she was seated by herself. She had done herself up for him, half expecting him to give her that same open mouth stare when she wore her hair down and put on the extra makeup.

In the simple black dress he loved, she thought she looked pretty darn good before leaving her apartment. Gru was so attentive in the way he always noticed her first in the room and always complimented her even in pajamas first thing in the morning.

She ordered a glass of wine, which showed up right as she saw his familiar face show up. When he spotted her across the room she couldn't help but smile, he was dressed up for him; scarf was gone and his usual coat. He wore black, like always. Just a blazer instead of that coat. When he got to their table, he took the time to lean down and give her a kiss.

Lucy was beaming. "Looking sharp."

"And you look beautiful as ever." He took a seat, still just looking at her like she was a rare gem. "Sorry I was late."

She may have had a bit of color on her cheeks while he stared at her. "Everything okay?"

"Took the gurls to my mother's. Had to deal with hell for a few minutes."

Lucy held back a laugh. She had met Mrs. Gru before and while she was proper to Lucy, she saw how she could make Gru uncomfortable. At least she loved the girls like they were her own family.

In the back of her mind she realized that meant they likely would be staying there overnight, which meant the house would be empty for them. She imagined what exactly they could be doing later.

"I was waiting forever." Lucy said cheerfully. "I guess you can make it up to me later." He returned her perky flirt with a grin, before reaching across the table for her hand.

Dinner was peaceful and nice, the food was delicious as always and the pair lost track of time as they just chat about the various things since the last time they saw one another. When they were working it wasn't always a partner needed assignment, in fact Gru had been helping locating some of the lesser known villains that the AVL never seemed to put on the radar until it was too late. While Lucy felt like she had been on paperwork duty for ages. Paid up and finished with their food, Gru escorted her out. He suggested a walk, which wasn't as surprising as where.

"Paradise Mall?" They hadn't been there in months, since the whole El Macho incident. Most of the time Gru hated malls or the idea of them so to actually want to go shocked her.

He shrugged off her surprise as he escorted her to his car. "It's a place to go. Edith has her birthday soon as well."

While his excuse seemed good enough, there was still something off about it. Plus she felt much overdressed for the mall, but the way he kept glancing at her made up for that.

Once at the mall Gru kept his arm around her as they window shopped, making her feel much better about his decision. "So what were you thinking for Edith?"

"Eh..." He trailed off as he caught a glance of the mail fountain. "All she ever wants is real weapons... Maybe I should just make her something."

"Oh oh, I should get her a taser!" Lucy nudged his side. "Think she'd like that?"

"It's Edith." That was statement enough. She gave a soft laugh as her fingers slipped in his hand.

After walking around the fountain the memory of working here with him set in. Even more so the cupcake shop where new ownership seemed to be, there was a few people inside getting the sweet treats to go. As she was looking over at it- she realized Gru was actually leading her there.

Lucy blinked as they came to a stop by the front window, looking down at all the baked goodies in various shapes and sizes. Gru seemed a bit off, why would he want to come here?

"Remember when you showed off your moves for me?" When he turned to her, she stared at his face.

"Yeah I remember. I also remember you not seeming impressed."

"Surprise is more the word I was thinking."

Something was defiantly up. He was looking at her so differently. Love was there, sure. But something she couldn't quite put her finger on. It was how his thumb ran across the back of her hand, the gentle sound of his voice. Then like a blast of hot air she came to a realization. Was he really going to…

Movement in the corner of her eye caused her gaze to break from his. The baker in the shop was putting a tray of cupcakes in the display- she would have dismissed it quickly but something about how they were laid out and the bright purple frosting caused her to give them a second glance. On the vibrant color there were loops of letters- each cupcake with one. It took her just a few seconds to see that it spelled out a phrase.

_Lucy, will you marry me?_

It was if electricity ran through her form as she read it, brilliant eyes of green looking to Gru. Almost instantly he was lowering down to one knee, his hand grasping hers with that same gentleness she adored from him. For a second she thought her heart had stopped but she had merely caught her breath.

"Lucy…" All other sounds seemed to be drawn away. Produced from his pocket was a jewelry box, where he carefully opened it with his one hand. "I have so much I want to say." He was so nervous; she could see it as his blue eyes connected with hers. "But I'll just settle for what you say."

The ring was so simple and beautiful that it made her want to cry right there. "Gru..." She managed to choke out. "Ugh, you big lug… of course I will marry you."

He was on the line of laughing from being so nervous to being so relieved, taking the diamond ring from its case to slip on her finger. When he stood he barely had a moment to catch her when Lucy hugged him tightly. Next to his face she felt so warm, so perfect. When he held onto her form all he could think about was how happy he was that she'd be there for the rest of his life.

Vaguely she could hear a few people clapping around them- such is the way if you propose in public. She didn't focus on them, though. She leaned back on her heels, looking at Gru with merriment. They both seemed too giddy to really speak, so Gru let his lips work in another way by kissing her own.

While he drove them back to his house, Lucy pulled her cell from her bag and sent a quick text to Margo. The amount of smiley faces and hearts sent back made her glad she had free texting. Her eyes went to him, then to the ring. There was absolutely no way her smile could come off.

_**I can totally see Gru being sweet and yet a little cheesy. While his confidence level isn't the greatest, I bet from being with Lucy for sometime he got more confident. Encouragement creates positive attitudes, right?**_


	24. Forgotten

_**Wow. Almost 90 reviews, 57 followers... you guys are amazing 3 **_

_**Forgotten**_

Lucy was not enjoying being pregnant and alone. Gru was out on a mission about a thousand miles away while she had to remain home with the girls. It wasn't like she didn't enjoy the time with them, but it was later in the night when the trio went to bed and Lucy had to just lounge around by herself. Usually this was her just lying in their large bed alone, hands over her swollen stomach.

She was around six months now. Not close enough to worry about going into labor while working but far enough to show and know she shouldn't be doing dangerous missions. Gru already refused letting her tag along even if she was in a safe place- making her stuck at home and beyond bored.

Thankfully the AVL sent her some paperwork to finish, something from keeping her going mad. So late at night she was just filling out forms and waiting for a call from Gru when she heard the bedroom door creak open. She didn't expect the little girl to trot in; clutching her unicorn like it was the only thing keeping her alive.

"Agnes?" Lucy slipped off the bed. Lucy knew she likely had a nightmare, it was usually the only reason she'd come into her parents room so late at night.

Agnes just stood there by the door, staring at Lucy with those adorable brown eyes. "I couldn't sleep."

That was a new one. The redhead walked over and took her hand. "Want to lay in bed with me?"

Nodding the girl allowed Lucy to lead her back to the bed. She helped her up and quietly tucked her under the sheets so Lucy could continue her work on the other side. "Something keeping you up?"

Lucy walked across the other side of the bed when Agnes spoke. "I was thinking of the baby coming."

"What about the baby? Excited?" She was; it was a whole new feeling to know there was something so precious inside of her right then- that Gru would have another child when he absolutely adored the girls.

Agnes stared up at her while lying on that huge pillow. "I'm scared."

With a frown Lucy moved to lay on her back, papers forgotten. She kept her head turned to stare at the little girl, trying to read her expression. "Why are you scared? If it's about me, I'll be okay! Mommy's are made to hold babies in their tummies."

"No…" A huff. Clearly Agnes had been thinking of this for some time. Sitting up the girl gave Lucy a stare she never imagined a child could do. "I don't want to be forgot!" The redhead was genuinely shocked at her outburst. At first she had no idea what to say so Agnes continued. "I mean.. You got a baby now, so… does that mean you're not my mom? Or Gru my dad?"

Tears were welling up in her round eyes making Lucy's heart break. Quickly she wrapped her arms around the girl and drew her in. "Sweetheart, we are still your mommy and daddy."

A sniff was muffled against Lucy's hair. "Promise you won't forget?"

"I'll pinky promise that." With that done she kissed her girl on her forehead. "I love you. You don't worry about it anymore."

Agnes cuddled with Lucy's arm around her as the pair started to talk about unicorns and what type of dragons would be best at swordplay. Soon enough the girl started to doze off, but not before whispering; "I love you mom."

For a while Lucy didn't want to move. She just relaxed in the bed with Agnes curled up sound asleep before she heard the vibrating phone on the nightstand. Maneuvering away she left the girl to sleep and slipped into the bathroom to answer the call.

"Is she okay now?" Her husband's voice sounded worried after Lucy explained what happened, but she quickly reassured him. "Dat girl… she worries too much."

"I can't really blame her." Lucy leaned against the counter, trying to remain quiet with the sleeping girl in the other room.

Gru gave a mild groan, he sounded as irked as he was exhausted. "I know, I know." With a moment of silence between them, Lucy let out a tiny sigh.

"Miss you."

"Right back at you. Go to sleep, I'll be home before you know it."

Words of love said and goodbye's wished Lucy hung up and went back to the bed. As soon as she lay down Agnes seemed to curl up closer to her; which Lucy didn't mind. Being a mom was better then she could ever have imagined.


	25. Ticklish

_**Ticklish**_

Gru and Lucy had become so relaxed with just being around one another that by the time she actually started staying over regularly, there was always moments they would just lounge on the couch with arms around one another. Most times it was when the family would just be watching TV or a movie, or on those lazy moments when they had nothing better to do.

So when such a moment came to them it wasn't so far-fetched to say Gru adored having her form pushed up against his side, arm wrapped around her shoulders and every now and then he'd lean over and either whisper something sweet to her or nuzzle her cheek. She always responded with a smile, a kiss or a general loving glance before going back to whatever she had been doing.

But there were times they almost forgot about the girls hanging around in the room with them. So when Gru took the opportunity to snag a kiss from Lucy, it seemed like one of his girls had enough.

"You two need to stop it!"

The couple blinked, both being pulled from their little fluffy session to see Edith with her arms crossed. She and the other girls had been doing random things, but paused as the middle child spoke up.

"What..?" Gru was a bit surprised.

"All that lovey stuff. It's gross!"

Lucy glanced to Gru, then back to the girls. Agnes looked up from her coloring book while Margo did the same from her phone. Letting out a chuckle Gru found the perfect moment to joke about this. "Oh you mean this?" He leaned over to Lucy again, nudging his face on hers and kissing her chin. She couldn't help but laugh from the display of affection.

"Yes that!" Edith groaned, pulling her hat further down. Margo simply rolled her eyes, while Agnes seemed thrilled.

"They are in love!" The youngest argued.

Edith frowned. "I don't wanna see it."

"Den you better look away!" Gru slipped his other hand around Lucy's waist, now hugging her close. However when his fingers prodded her side; he wasn't expecting her to squirm and give a very loud giggle.

Lucy covered her mouth, as if the act of that would make the moment retreat back inside of her. Gru stared at her, the realization coming to his face as his finger once more pressed into her side. The motion caused her to jump in his grasp, the laughter coming from her addicting to his ears. "Gru stop!" She said between giggles, but not before her hands went to his and tried to pry him off.

"Oh I see! Someone's ticklish!" A new thing learned about her, Gru gave a sly grin. His eyes went to the girls on the floor, who was just as surprised as he was. "Gurls! I'll hold her, you all jump her!"

Without any pause the trio leapt from their spots and to Lucy's horror all jumped for the opportunity to start tickling the redhead. Gru held her, sure enough, laughing alongside his partner as the girls started prodding and tickling the defenseless Lucy. She was laughing so hard that the three girls joined in, the fun of the situation making it hard not to.

By the time they finished Lucy was red in the face from her laughter and a few tears were on her cheeks. Gru let her go afterwards, the girls now holding her in place as they were piled on top of the woman. "You're all despicable!"

The girls laughed. "We now know your weakness!" Margo chimed in, adjusting her glasses.

Lucy wiped away her tears before her hands jerked out and tried to tickle the little girls back. With screams they all jumped off the bed, running away in a hurry. Before she stood she caught her breath, looking to Gru. He was smiling so wide from the entertainment, so Lucy poked him in the chest. "I'll get you for that."

"Hey now, I was just an innocent bystander."

"Pfft, 'innocent'." She leaned over to give him a kiss.

Edith let out a very dramatic 'ewww' before Lucy jumped up. "Now it's time to fight back!" With her hands up like she was going to start some kung fu moves, she looked at the girls who were holding back some giggles. "Get ready!"

When she ran towards them they all scattered. Gru was left alone for a few minutes, chuckling as he heard his girls scream and laugh- with the occasional sound of Lucy trying to grab hold of them. Before he knew it Agnes came rushing in, jumping up on the couch with him. Huffing from running around the house and a wide smile on her lips she looked to Gru.

"Don't let her get me!"

Gru chuckled. "What about me?"

With a shocked stare Agnes was surprised as Gru started to tickle her sides. Roaring with laughter the girl managed to squirm away and rush off. Joining in, Gru pushed off the couch to chase after her and join Lucy in the hunt.


	26. Meeting Mom

_**Meeting Mom**_

Gru gripped the steering wheel like he had every intention of breaking it. In his car, Lucy sat next to him while the girls were down below in the larger hold. They still were parked in the driveway of his house, seemingly unwilling to go.

Lucy never really saw him like this; obviously this visit was going to be rough for him. "Sweetie. We should go if you want to be there in time."

"Right..." He started the car, the engine kicking up with a roar behind him. "Just don't let her get under your skin, no matter how hard that is.."

"I doubt your mother is that horrible." Lucy heard a giggle down below, smiling lightly. It had been a few days since Gru had proposed to her, the idea still making her really excited. Of course it was going to be a little nerve wracking to meet his mother but it couldn't be as bad as he made it out to be.

At least the girls would be with them, he insisted on that simply because of how much she loved them. "You will be surprised." He stated, driving a bit slow for him.

Her home wasn't too far away and it had the same charm that Gru's had. When he parked outside on the curb Lucy was surprised to hear the girls rush out of the car and up to the front door.

When Gru and Lucy followed, the AVL agent saw the door open and couldn't help but smile at the older lady who seemed thrilled to see the girls. She hugged them all, turning her attention to Gru and his fiancé after.

"And you must be Lucy." Her accent was thicker than Gru's, but not hard to understand.

"Yes Mrs. Gru, I'm Lucy Wilde." She approached with a kind smile, hand out to shake.

They shared a polite shake of hands, Lucy wasn't really expecting her to be so short, but she had only seen pictures of her throughout Gru's home. "So tell me!" The woman turned, leading Lucy inside. Gru followed quietly, shutting the door behind them. "What did my idiot son do to get such a precious lady?"

Lucy felt a smile come on, after all it seemed like Gru's mother liked her but the insult on her son made it a bit awkward. "Oh you know he's quite the charmer when he wants to be."

The girls were waiting for them in the living area, where there were a few books and new toys sprawled about. At least she knew how to spoil her grandchildren. "Ha! Charmer, girl you don't need to play it up for me."

Lucy would have spoken but Gru's hand around her arm made her pause. He escorted her to the couch where they sat, speaking for her. "Lucy is being polite, mom."

When his mother took a seat, she looked over to the girls. "Oh gurls! Nana has some cookies for you all in the kitchen!"

The three jumped up and ran, thanking her as they did. With the little ears out of the room the older woman took a long glance over Lucy and Gru, hands folded neatly on her lap. "So Gru didn't tell me how you two met."

Lucy felt him stiffen next to her, but she played it off coolly. "I was assigned to help him on a mission, that's all. We just sort of hit it off!"

"He has a few flaws I'm sure you overlooked." Lucy felt a little defensive, but likely this was her normal routine with him. "I can't believe you managed to get such a pretty girl, Felonious."

Gru gave a long sigh. Lucy held back the smirk that wanted to come, she had heard his first name just once before but felt like she shouldn't remark on it now. "Yes I got you, mom. Lucy is very beautiful, but that's not all I like about her."

"I'd hope not!" Her hands pressed on the arms of her chair as the woman stood. "I taught you better den dat! Now."

As Mrs. Gru walked over to a bookshelf, Lucy felt Gru's hand slip behind her. Stealing a glance towards him she was disappointed at his expression. His mother seemed to drain him but she couldn't really blame him judging by what she had said so far. Soon enough the older woman was back, shoving a book on Lucy's lap. Gru grimaced.

"What's this?" Lucy saw his name inscribed on the front of the book; opening the leather cover to see a baby. A very naked baby. "…is this you?" She peered to her fiancé.

Gru fell back, defeated. "Why must you do this, mom?"

"Because what if she wants to have another child? She should see what she's getting into." The woman pointed to a few pictures as Lucy turned the pages. "He was a very shy boy. Ah, look at that posture. Felonious! Sit up!"

Gru snapped to attention, but stared forward. Lucy couldn't help but laugh as she saw him in various situations. After some of the more awkward teen photos Lucy saw some old cut outs- mild crimes of vandalism to start, then more tech based acts of fraud. "These were the beginnings of what would be a great few years… he did manage to get quite a few major things done."

"I doubt Lucy wants to-"

"Oh this is awesome!" Lucy really was into the various clippings, her fingers outlining some of the pictures. "This is where you stole that fountain sculpture in Rome, right? They still never figured out how you did that!"

Gru grinned, seeing her excited over his past works sort of made him a bit proud. Even if he was no longer in the villain business. While Lucy was giddy about looking over the different things that he did; his mother kept talking. "He had a good run, yes." She took the book as Lucy closed it, walking back to the bookcase. "You seem like a put together girl." Facing the couple, she motioned to her son. "Nothing like him, hm?"

Gru's face fell and Lucy felt herself grow defensive again. "I think your son is very put together. He has a very strong will and three girls who love him very much. His business is on the up and up and I think he has more quality in him then you see."

For a second she felt as if she said something wrong. Both Gru and his mother stared at her with wide eyes. That is, until Mrs. Gru started to laugh faintly. "You have a strong spirit. Good! Gru has brains, I'll give him dat. But he needs someone who can stand up and say what she wants!"

Walking back closer she waved for the girl to stand. Lucy did with ease, coming over to Gru's mother with an uneasy glance back to him. He still seemed shocked. The woman took Lucy's hand, the one where her new engagement ring rested carefully on her finger. Mrs. Gru gave the top of her hand a pat, smiling up at her. "You'll be a fine Gru. Come! Let's go have some cookies with the gurls."

Gru blinked as his mother lead his Lucy away; before rushing to stand. He trailed behind them, trying to wrap the head around the fact that his mother actually approved of something in his life. Of course it was Lucy she adored- but at least she didn't reprimand him for marrying her.

Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad visit.

"Let me tell you, his voice broke in the middle of a presentation at school… he came home crying like a gurl."

Or not.


	27. Insecure

_**Insecure**_

Gru was nervously holding his hands behind his back, a usual stance for him but it also held back some of the light trembling in his palm. It was their third date, not as big as the first but he defiantly was feeling those nerves in the pit of his stomach.

They decided to meet for lunch this time. During the week the girls were in school and he only had research to do so it wasn't as if he minded. Lucy wanted to meet him at a small sandwich shop; one she swore was the best in town. But before he could go in he just stood outside the door, letting his nerves settle.

He wasn't really aware that Lucy was inside and saw him standing there, feeling a bit put off. He seemed as if he was debating going in. What if he didn't want to even come out today? Her sudden insecurities made her frown. As soon as his hand pushed open the door she glanced down at the menu- putting a light smile on her lips.

"Hello Lucy." Gru gave her a smile, taking the seat across from her

She smiled brightly as her hands folded on the menu. "Hey Gru. Thanks for coming to meet me."

"No trouble at all." When his own hands rested on the table she wondered when he would hold hers, or make some sort of move. The first two dates had been so nice but she wouldn't have minded a little hand holding.

"So this is the best place in town?"

"Oh! Yeah it really is." She motioned to a few items on the menu. As they talked about items and their waiter came with drinks Lucy felt her insecurities grow. Gru seemed a little nonchalant with his words; maybe he wasn't interested in her anymore.

They ordered and discussed small things such as the weather, making her feel worse. It wasn't like her to feel this way; her confidence was usually very high. She tried to cater to what he really loved for a moment.

"And how are the girls? You mentioned a dance recital soon. Are they excited?"

Gru gave a smile; it was one she had only seen once before. Those girls really meant so much to him and it made her heart flutter to see that. "Yes, it is actually this weekend. If you'd like, I have a plus one available."

For a second she wondered if he was just being nice. "That sounds great! I'd love to see them dance."

Food came, they ate and before both of them knew it they were walking down the street. They still spoke about a few things such as work but Lucy still had a nagging feeling in her stomach.

Pausing in his stride, Gru looked over at a flower shop they had come across. No word spoken, he moved from Lucy's side and picked up a single red rose. He paid the florist and came back to his partner to present it to her.

Lucy smiled sweetly. The gesture alone made her feel better, but when she took it and gave the petals a light sniff she was shocked as he slipped his other hand around her free one.

"Thank you, Gru." She managed to say as they started to walk again, this time hand in hand.

Gru nodded, his face holding a light smile. She swore she saw a flush on his cheeks but that could have been the sun. "I'm sure roses are not your favorite, but it just looked as pretty as you."

The corny line made her giggle, causing his grin to grow. All the insecurities she did have were drifting away as she realized that Gru was just shy and inexperienced when it came to dating. His palm was hot on hers; likely he had just been waiting for the opportune moment.

"How do you know roses aren't my favorite?"

"Because they are not as unique as you."

This time, she blushed.


	28. Gossip

_**Thank you all for the reviews. Seriously. It makes me happy. 3**_

_**Gossip**_

It was late in the afternoon when Lucy brought the girls to the neighborhood park to play. They had been cooped up all day while she had been gone; Gru had to finalize some weapons he had been creating for the AVL. With the assistance of Doctor Nefario he had managed to finish up a majority of them but Gru was ever the perfectionist. He wanted to work on it until he was satisfied, which meant the girls had been rather bored.

Lucy got home from work, saw how miserable they were and quickly snatched the opportunity to take them out while her husband would be busy. The park was smaller but set up for the residents of the neighborhood and within walking distance. Lucy took a seat on one of the benches, waving to Agnes as the girl rushed off to the swings.

There were other people around, mostly a few mothers and their children so Lucy found some solace to just relax, watch the adoptive children play and occasionally glance at a magazine she brought along.

"..That's her."

"Do you think she only wanted his money?"

Lucy prided herself on excellent hearing; it helped when she was on the field. But at times it seemed to burden her more than help. Emerald eyes glanced to the pair of women on a close by bench, where they quickly looked away and shut up.

People loved to gossip and she knew that, Gru told her the neighborhood had mixed feelings about him. He was obviously more wealthy then a few of the other people; not that it mattered at all. His old days of villainy and larceny had pushed him into some wealth.

Looking back to the girls, she put on a smile. It didn't really matter. The girls and her husband mattered.

"I feel bad for the girls, what kind of role model do you think she is?"

"Can't be good. I heard she has a dangerous job."

"Soon she'll learn being a mom is harder then drop him."

She leaned back, glancing to the forgotten magazine in her hands. Being a mom was tough work and for a time she wondered how good she'd be at it. Gru encouraged her and just being around the girls helped greatly. They all had such wonderful personalities and the more time she spent with them she realized that being a mom was the best thing in the world.

So why was their words making her feel self-conscious? To heck with them, she knew that the girls loved her. Agnes even got on the ball of calling her mom every now and then. Of course she had just started calling Gru dad, so that was just a timing benefit.

The women continued, she head them mention her hair and her outfit; things so trivial that she started to wonder what else these women did other than gossip all day. Taking a deep breath she went back to ignoring it, glancing up as she saw Edith and Agnes swinging. They both gave her a wave, which she returned with a smile.

"I'm sure he only married her to have a live in babysitter."

Quickly Lucy snapped her attention to the women, who once more looked away from being caught. What right did they have to butt in and say things like that? Lucy knew Gru and she adored him. They did plenty of things as a family and she wasn't some babysitter to the girls. The pair stood, moving to get their kids and start their own walks home. Her courage to yell at them dropped, knowing it wasn't worth the breath.

As the sun started to set she called to the girls to come back, it hadn't been more than an hour since they arrived but dinner would be soon enough. With Agnes on her back and the other two at her sides she tried to seem more chipper; even if she was still fuming from wanting to backlash those women.

"What do you guys say to pizza? Gru's probably going to be in his lab for the night."

"Stuffed crust, stuffed crust!" Edith chanted.

Agnes nodded next to Lucy's ear. "Yeah!"

Lucy smiled softly. "Anything you guys want."

"Hey, Lucy?" Margo was looking up at the redhead as they walked.

Lucy looked to her, surprised to see how serious she looked. "What's up?"

"You're the coolest mom. Really."

Her grin was hard to hold back. "You sure?" She didn't mean to sound so worried, she should let words of ignorant people bring her so down.

Edith looked from Margo to Lucy, before nodding. "You are! No other mom would let me watch Bruce Lee."

"Or brush my unicorn." The littlest seemed to snuggle against her.

"Or buy me a new phone. So don't think about it, we love you."

It occurred to her that Margo could have heard some of what the women had been saying. She swore she felt tears' coming but Lucy Gru was not going to cry, at least not in front of her girls. "You guys are the best. Really." Her hand moved to rest on Margo's head for a moment, before taking a deep breath. Her confidence was back and she had three girls to order pizza for.

Gru pushed back his safety and magnified specs as Lucy set a plate of pizza down on his work bench. "Pizza again?" He glanced to her. "Dat is like, de third time dis week."

Leaning on the counter, she smiled. "What can I say; I am a cool mom who orders the best for her girls."

He shrugged, looking back to the large missile launcher he had been working on. "It also could be dat you don't know how to cook."

She nudged him, bringing a smirk to both their lips. "Hurry up and finish down here. It's bath night."

Gru blinked, watching her walk off. "But de gurls-"

"I didn't mean them." Glancing over her shoulder, she was pleasantly rewarded with a wide eyed stare from Gru.

Likely she shouldn't have distracted him from his work, because as she left his work room and turned down the hallway she heard a loud thud then a vibrating rumble of an explosion. Dozens of his minions came rushing by her; a few stopping to wave a 'Bello!' before getting back to work. He'd forgive her, Lucy knew. But it was fun to hear his agitated yells to his munchkins.


	29. Anniversary

_**I've gotten a few messages to include the minions; which makes sense. They are a big part of Gru's life too. Plus they are adorable. I still wanted a fluffy story though. =3**_

**_Anniversary_**

Using the key Gru gave her, Lucy unlocked the front door of his house and slipped inside. Her partner invited her over, most likely just to have some quality time while the girls were at school. When she closed the door she headed for the stairs, Gru had informed her he'd be in his study. Halfway down the hall however she stopped when she heard something behind her.

Lucy could hear the sound of dozens of minions running up the stairs. She was used to their speech, even if she didn't understand it fully. A few words were easy enough, but at times she had to really focus on what they were trying to get across.

She paused in the hallway as they all rushed past her, a few giving her a wave and smile as they did. With a hand raised to wave back she noticed what was in their hands, various model rockets and bombs.

Without a knock they filed in Gru's office. Faintly Lucy could hear her partner's voice commenting on something, and then a loud bang was heard.

"Oh come on, dat wasn't even loaded how on de earth did- Kevin! Don't put it back in- uuuah!"

Lucy poked her head around the corner. She saw a few minions with smoke still coming off their yellow skin; others were busy slapping one tall guy who seemed embarrassed. Gru was rubbing his temple, making him look adorable to her. He got agitated quickly and it made it fun to tease him.

"Now dat you got my office a mess, go with those." He pointed to one minion who was holding up a large rocket of some sort.

They filed back out, leaving Lucy smiling as they once again headed back downstairs. When she slipped in the room she crossed her arms. "So, guessing you are planning something?"

Gru bent down to pick up some splintered wood, it looked like his desk was out of commission for a while. "Yes I am. De same thing I do every year."

"Try to take over the world?"

His glance to her just made Lucy giggle. "It's de anniversary with de gurls."

Tilting her head, Lucy watched him walk around the desk to toss the broken materials in the large wastebasket. "The girls?"

"It's de anniversary of when I adopted dem. It's sort of..." He rolled his wrist, his fingers curling after the wave. "Tradition now?"

Lucy felt her heart beat faster. They had been seeing each other for a few months now and still he surprised her. "That was an adorable thing for you to say."

Gru shook his head. "Stop with dat. It was the most important day of my life, dats all."

"That's all!" Lucy moved closer, leaning in to give him a kiss on the cheek. "What did you have planned for them?"

"I usually do some fireworks... I was thinking outside dis time." Gru slipped a hand around her waist.

With him holding her waist it was easier for her to just lean against his frame. "I forget just how large your lab is."

The two just stared at each other for a moment; Lucy loved it when his eyes seemed to soften and often she found herself lost in his stare. The smell of burnt wood was lingering in his office, she noticed. Almost like they had a fire going in a hearth close by.

"Do you have time between decisions for a make out session?"

He shifted a bit, his brows raised as he spoke. "I suppose I could take a-"

Taking it as an immediate yes Lucy leaned in to snag his lips with her own. Fingers that had just been pressed up against him curled around his scarf to draw him in. Gru responded easily, the hand pressed on her lower back keeping her as close as possible.

When she felt his other hand cup her cheek, thumb resting under her jaw to tilt her head up further Lucy tugged at his lips to taste him. The kiss was soft, loving and made her slightly weak in the knees. It always seemed to do that when she kissed him, making her want more.

Drawing back her eyes opened to look at him, happily receiving a wide grin from him. "How about you make me lunch big guy."

"If you insist." His fingers caressed her cheek, and then paused around her neck. His eyes glanced behind her for a moment- then did a double take.

Lucy drew away from him to see a crowd of his little munchkins staring at the couple. They were holding some brightly colored wrapping paper- but how they were looking at the two with wide grins and smooching their lips made Lucy giggle.

"I'm busy! All of you! Take five, geeze."

"Aww." They all seemed to say, filing out of the room. Gru closed his eyes, once again annoyed. When Lucy gave him another quick kiss he snapped out of it.

"Lunch! And you can talk to me about the plans for the girls."

* * *

The moon was full, which was fitting for the occasion. Gru spared no expense to set up a huge carnival type set up in the backyard, including various games and tall slides. The family had been out there since the girls got home; Lucy included. She felt honored to be invited when this was certainly an event for Gru and his daughters.

They ate hot dogs, cotton candy and nachos, rode on the slides and even played some of the easily won games. After what felt like hours of fun they all crashed on a large blanket, staring up at the moon.

It touched Lucy's heart as she looked over at Gru; the girls were glued to his side. "Thanks for inviting me." She managed to say.

He had his arms full of half-asleep girls but shifting his arm closest to her he kept it open for her to take. Lucy obliged, letting her fingers become intertwined with his.

Suddenly the lights around them seemed to shut down and with a roaring sound fireworks started to burst in the sky. Lucy had to wonder what the neighbors would think; but that was quickly dismissed.

"Oooooh." All the girls were sleepy, but now awake to watch the show. Lucy felt herself drawn in like the other girls. It was after a minute she realized there was a new crowd around them- those adorable minions filled in to watch as well.

After all their hard work the deserved to watch and relax. So she reached over and pat a little ones head, making him look at her. "Tulaliloo.." he chuckled. She swore she saw him blush.

* * *

_**If you saw the minion mayhem ride you know where the inspiration came from. :D**_


	30. Fear

_**Thanks to MissMirrors for this prompt! Hope you like it.**_

_**Fear**_

The woman's thumb was nestled between her teeth, chewing on her nail with a nervous stare ahead of her. The night was closing in and Lucy sat on the porch of Gru's home, waiting for him to get home. She had assumed they were supposed to be on a date but when he never showed up she thought that maybe she'd make a mistake.

The loud sound of his car came from down the street and she stood as she watched it approach. The various different things she had just been thinking to say seemed to vanish; she was just thankful he was home. The girls filed out of the car first and she couldn't help but smile at them. To some level of shock however, they didn't even glance at her. Like little ghosts they just walked right past her and went inside their home.

The ache from that alone made her want to cry, but the topping on the cake was the stare Gru had when he closed the car door. "H-Hey.." Lucy managed to say, trying her best to keep upbeat. Something serious was wrong here. "I thought we were meeting at Super Silly-"

"No." He cut her off, his hands slipping behind his back. The tone, his stare. It was if she was an insect to him. "You should just go, Lucy."

There was a feeling in the back of her throat, like she could choke. "I… I don't understand, what-"

"How thick is you're skull?" Gru approached with a fierce stare, the man she loved had become so different in a bat of an eye. "Get out of here, before I have you removed… by force."

Taking a step off the porch, she found herself wandering closer to the grass. His glare was intense and a little scary to witness; the old reports of his violent acts as a villain popped into her mind and for a brief second she was scared he'd attack. "What did I do?" She managed to choke out, that ball dropping to her chest.

He faced her as she walked back, giving a devious grin. "Your usefulness has worn off, dis is all. I would say thank you, but… eh." He chuckled, turning to head inside.

Tears were falling and she didn't even remember when they started. "But-… I'll just.. go then."

"Ah finally, she gets it." Peering over his shoulder, she felt his eyes glare. "Good day Mrs. Wilde. Do not approach me again." The slam of his door was almost felt on her face even if she was halfway down the yard. She heard the faint sounds of the girls laughing, than nothing.

Almost collapsing on the sidewalk Lucy managed to just lean on her car and steady herself. The tears wouldn't stop. The heartbreaking lump in her throat swelled up and for a second it felt like she couldn't even breathe. No reasoning came to mind. Just the simple fact that Gru didn't want her anymore.

"Lucy…"

She could almost hear him, speaking so sweetly to her.

"Lucy!"

The atmosphere changed drastically and quickly. She wasn't outside, she was in bed. The low light was now compete darkness and the man who just broke her heart was waking her up with an expression of worry. He was propped up next to her, his hand around her shoulder. When she glanced to him she felt those tears come down her face- that probably had to have been the worst nightmare ever.

"Are you alright?" He asked; lovingly. It made her take a breath. He still loved her. He was right there, in bed with her. She remembered staying the night after their date. When she took a moment to let it all come back to her, Gru's arm slipped around her abdomen and pull her closer. "You vere tossing and turning. Said my name, too."

"I'll be okay." Lucy knew how pathetic she sounded between the uncontrollable tears. "Don't you dare dump me, Gru." She knew how possessive that may have sounded but in the moment she was just roaring with emotions.

"Is dat what you dreamt about?"

Lucy nodded and then pushed herself closer. Arms wrapped around his shoulders as she pressed her face on his neck. He responded promptly, rolling on his side to just keep her close to him. "Do you honestly think I'd do such a thing?"

The only thing she could do was shake her head against him, her tears stopping finally. As Gru held her and let her cling to him he couldn't help but feel a bit happy; even if she had been so miserable a few moments ago. She had been so worked up over a dream about him leaving; when he couldn't even imagine not having her in his life now.

Nuzzling his face in her wild curled hair he closed his eyes and smiled. "Don't worry, love." Gru drew the sheet closer as he held her, letting her start to fall back to her slumber while they just embraced one another. Her lips placed a few faint kisses on his skin, before he could hear the steady breathing and feel her relaxed against him. Soon enough he followed suit, his last thoughts of what he could make her for breakfast.


	31. Growing Up

_**I had this idea. Gru as a dad is my #1 love for him. I can only imagine how he'd be with them growing up.. getting married… ~rolls around and cries~**_

_**Anyway. I know in my other fics I have a Grucy love child named Mason but he's not in this.**_

_**Growing up**_

Gru had plenty of time to think as he sat on the stairs, his elbows resting on his bent knees. It seemed like time was at a standstill as memories flowed in his head, the past years of being a parent and husband. The fears and doubts of a relationship and the painful love of watching his children grow up. He hoped deep down that they would never, ever forget him.

The youngest of his girls, now at an age too close to teen that it still made him cringe, approached him. She had the same smile, but Agnes was growing up. "Hey dad." She stated, arms slipping behind her.

Gru gave a soft smile. "Hey sweetie." Suddenly he remembered when she used to climb into bed with him or sleep on his lap.

"Margo almost ready?" She seemed excited while he was miserable. For a second Gru studied her. Agnes still loved the same things, she wore plenty of yellow and blue- maybe due to the fact she loved the minions. But her hair was down a lot more. Each of his girls had different features that made him wonder about their birth parents.

"Lucy's finishing up with her now." He stood, smoothing out his sweater. The past few years had been kind on him, but the beginnings of a few lines on his face had started to show. "Where is Edith?"

"I had her get the camera." Agnes was still perky and would always be adorable to him. Like many times today he thought of when they first came to his house and how things changed for him so drastically.

He must have zoned out again as he thought of his kids; because the sudden flash of a camera startled him. Edith had shown up, laughing as she checked the pic she just took. "You look depressed."

Gru frowned. Edith was a teenager now; her smart mouth seemed to get worse every day. But she still had the endearing quality of a girl who just loved to have fun. Over the years she had changed the most, becoming quite a tomboy. Pink was still her favorite color though and that hat was still always on her head.

Out of the three she had been the most trouble but, he felt that wasn't as bad as what Margo was about to do. Agnes went to Edith to glance at the picture she took. "Aww. Don't be sad!"

"I'm not sad!" Gru shook his head, reaching for the camera. Edith slipped it behind her, laughing.

"Oh you think dis is funny do you?" When his fingers went to her side she jumped back with a few giggles. At least that made him smile.

Agnes jumped up and down, grabbing Gru's hand. "Look!"

With a hesitated turn he glanced back to the stairs. Sure enough Margo was coming down, wearing a stunning cobalt prom dress, her hair falling down in ringlets past her shoulders. She was graduating this year, barely eighteen years old. He still saw her as that intelligent and witty little girl.

After stopping at the bottom she adjusted her glasses, smirking. "Well?"

"You look like a girl. Hurray." Edith said monotone.

Margo rolled her eyes, glancing to Agnes as she hopped over. "You look beautiful!" The youngest girl took Margo by her hands, smiling.

Gru just held a frown. She looked great, but this wasn't what he wanted to see yet. He wasn't ready to see her as an adult. After smiling with Agnes her eyes went to him and all he could do was huff.

"You don't like it?" Margo sounded a little upset, which just made him feel worse.

"Not dat, it's just..." A nudge came from his side. While his attention was on Margo his wife somehow slipped in next to him. Lucy looked as beautiful as ever, her hair down for a change. Her eyes were on him while she smiled; but he knew what she was trying to say. Gru felt defeated but smiled through it. "You look perfect, Margo."

With that bright smile how could he be upset? "Yaaay!" Lucy cried, rushing to Edith to take the camera. "Pictures, pictures! I made her look pretty amazing if you ask me."

Gru just watched as his wife took pictures, the girls grouped up in a few of them. A few selfies of Lucy and her daughters huddled with her were taken, making them all giggle as they looked them over. For a moment Gru almost wanted to escape down to his lab for a few hours, ignore the world and try and focus on anything but the fact that his eldest was going to her senior prom.

Margo came over after a minute, looping her arm around his. "Okay! Some with me and Gru!"

Lucy went to work like she was some fashion photographer; each pic she took more dramatic than the last. "Smile, that's it! Okay little more that way- sweetie smile; it's not the end of the world."

Gru managed a smile or two, before the sound of a car honking outside startled them all. "Oh rides here!" Margo leaned in, kissing Gru's cheek. "Love you, dad. Thank you."

Lucy rushed over for a hug and the other girls got a one as well; much to Edith's dismay. "Hey-" Gru managed to blurt out, right as the eldest was opening the door. Her friends were outside, waiting in a limo the group had rented. She looked back at him.

Of all the things he wanted to say, all he could manage was; "Curfew, okay?"

Margo beamed. "Right. See ya!"

He walked past his other girls, watching as Margo vanished inside the car and it drove off. "Man I can't wait till I can go to dances." Agnes said, twirling inside.

"I can't wait until I can take advanced judo."

Lucy laughed faintly. "Edith, get through the rest of the school year and we'll see about judo." She ushered the girls inside. "Let's go get dinner started."

With his hands rested behind his back, Gru just stood in his doorway and watched down the street where he had seen the limo turn off. While it was a bittersweet feeling, Gru knew it could be a lot worse. She could have been going with a boy.


	32. Priority

_**I love when real emotion can be taken from these characters. Gru loves his kids so much and Lucy really likes Gru (and vice versa).**_

_**I hope you enjoy it!**_

_**Priority**_

Lucy Wilde was in the middle of getting dressed when her cell phone started jamming out to a very pop beat. Knowing who it was instantly she rushed from her closet to grab it, answering with a very energetic; "Helloooo?"

"Hey Lucy." His voice was always so welcoming. The past few weeks had been rocky with their blossoming relationship, with how busy things had been at work for her. It always seemed like something came up before they could make any date plans. Finally they had set a time and place for that evening and Lucy couldn't wait.

Her hand ran across her hair as she spoke up, sounding absolutely thrilled. "Just picking out a sexy dress for you tonight." She loved to flirt with him; he usually would get very flushed.

But his voice didn't sound so thrilled or uneasy. "I'm… afraid I have to cancel."

"Oh." Her energy was depleted and she lowered to sit on her bed. While she wasn't fully dressed, that didn't matter now. "Okay then."

"I'm sorry, it's just Agnes… I am pretty sure she picked up that cold the class has and eh… She is even clingier with me when sick…"

Lucy smiled lightly, despite the situation. "I understand." And she really did. But she couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.

The man over the line let out a sigh. "I'll call you."

"Right. I'll be expecting that." Was she sounding upset? Probably. Trying to push the negative feelings out she added in; "I hope Agnes feels better. Give her a hug for me.

"Right. Talk to you soon."

The pair hung up and Gru ended up staring at his phone for a long moment. He could hear the disappointment in her voice but what could he do? Agnes was a priority. While he loved to spend time with Lucy, three girls made his time limited.

Leaving his study he went back to the girly bedroom where his littlest was curled up on her bed. She was sleeping which was good, but before that the poor thing was crying on his shirt from feeling so sick. It broke his heart to see that.

This wouldn't be the last time he'd have to make sacrifices for his girls and all he could do was hope Lucy understood that. If she couldn't see what his priorities were then maybe she wasn't going to be around much longer.

That thought hit him hard. Sitting down on the ground next to Agnes' bed Gru gave a quiet sigh. Their relationship was still new but no less important. Lucy caught his eye early on, her energetic disposition and carefree attitude made him smile more often than not. But she was too good for him, wasn't she? Gru had nothing to offer her except the disappointment of breaking dates for his girls.

The little girl coughed, making his thoughts vanish. She shook for a moment before waking up, blinking her eyes and looking at him. Gru put on a little smile and rested his hand on her head. Agnes responded with a sniffling, "Hi."

Fingers brushed back her bangs. He didn't like how her fever was still lingering. "Can I get you anything?"

Her tiny hand took his fingers and held them close. "Nope." She closed her eyes once more. "…maybe a story?"

Gru spent the better part of an hour reading her various books. Even making some new and unusual voices for her entertainment, he went through a dozen of her little stories. Once she fell back asleep he kissed her hair and headed back downstairs to start dinner for the other two girls. As soon as his foot hit the bottom step, the doorbell rang.

Half expecting it to be Jillian or another one of his nosy neighbors he was about to just ignore it- but Margo seemed to rush over from the living room.

"Margo- what are you doing?"

"Oh, I ordered dinner!" She hurriedly unlocked the door. With an agitated stare Gru was about to reprimand for not asking permission but the person who stood on his doorstop made him freeze.

His redheaded partner held a few bags, grinning down at Margo. "Dinner has arrived! Hope you don't mind if the humble delivery girl can stay for some grub."

"Of course not!" Margo laughed, taking a bag or two. They both glanced to Gru. He was still a little shocked to see her, his expression likely showing it. "Hope you don't mind Gru. Lucy text me and asked what Chinese food we liked."

Lucy stepped inside and remembering his place Gru went to her to take the bags from her. "You didn't have to…"

"I never said I did. I just wanted to." Her smile made his heart skip a beat. He returned that smile and led her inside to the kitchen.

All those worries before had vanished as they set up plates of the Chinese food, Edith and Margo both thankful to have it. Gru had just planned on cooking enough soup for them all. While the girls munched down and Edith tried to poke Margo with her chopsticks, Gru and Lucy sat at the bar counter.

He glanced back to the girls and then put his attention to Lucy. "Dis was too much. I owe you big time."

"Of course not." With her body turned towards him, she crossed her legs. It caused her foot to casually rest next to his leg; a touch lost on neither of them. "Listen partner. You were a dad before you met me." Her emerald eyes glanced over, smirking at the two who were giggling over something. "This is your priority."

He felt like someone just stole the breath from him as she spoke. There had been that level of caring for Lucy Wilde, but it almost was at that precise moment he knew she held his heart. Letting his grin grow he turned his gaze away before he would blurt out something stupid. "Thank you."

Lucy smirked, looking down at her food. "Yep! Now eat up."


	33. Cooking

_**prompt from scratch-mcb**_

_**these two will be the death of me I know it.**_

_**Cooking**_

"Please… Please don't make me do this."

"You have to. Dere will be no escape!" He had a grin that made her uneasy. Slowly Lucy looked back down to the items that he had laid out on the kitchen counter. Gru had everything organized and ready to become something delicious but all she saw was a million things that could go wrong.

"You're telling me all of this becomes a cake?"

"Dat is the outcome, yes." Gru leaned against the counter next to her. "I figured dis would be the easiest start."

In her hand she lifted up a whisk like it was a torture device. "Can't I just use one of those box mixes?"

Gru looked at her in amazement. "No. No no." He pointed to the recipe on the counter. "That is better than any box cake you vill ever find. Handed down for generations it is perfected to the last ingredient."

Lucy stared at him for a long moment. "Then you make it."

Gru huffed. "But Agnes wanted her new mother to make her a special cake."

Her jaw dropped. "That was a low blow, mister." With a swat of the whisk she looked back to the directions. Gru chuckled, pushing off the counter while Lucy grabbed the starting ingredients.

They had just gotten back from their honeymoon a few days ago, settled in without much of a transition. With the girls gone at school he figured it would be a good time to force his new bride to learn how to cook.

Flour dumped into the larger bowl and Lucy smiled at the first small victory. "Okay! Step one, mastered."

"Beginners luck." Behind her she could hear how he was trying not to laugh.

"Just you wait." Skillfully she started to level out the sugar. "Why do you want me to learn so bad anyway?"

"Cooking can be an art form and a calming hobby." He paused. "Also, I can't always cook and de gurls shouldn't have pizza every night."

"But pizza is deliciooooous."

Gru smirked, looking over her shoulder. She was using the spatula to level out the sugar like every grain would make the difference. "Dat is enough; now put dat in the other bowl."

"Whaaaat? It doesn't just go in the flour?"

"No, just stick to de instructions."

Lucy seemed confused but did as told. As she added some other dry ingredients to the flour she seemed very focused. "It's almost like a science isn't it?"

"Very much so." Gru put his hand on her hip as he just watched over her shoulder. "You're doing good, now set dat aside. Add de butter to sugar."

While he was explaining things Lucy was more aware of how close he was, how relaxing his touch was and how she loved his voice. Distractions, that's all. Snapping out of it she started to use that whisk properly.

But his lips found her neck and nuzzled her skin, making her pause. "Gru." She tried to sound firm. "This is serious, I need to concentrate."

Both hands were around her waist as he just pulled her form against his chest. "Den concentrate."

Lucy nudged him, making him snicker close to her ear. Next on her list was her worst fear… Eggs.

"You do this part." She begged.

"Lucy, no. Dis is your cake."

The little white items of terror seemed so small. Picking one up she gave a very, very soft tap on the bowl, expecting an explosion. Right as she saw a crack she went for it, attempting to not get any of the shell in the mix.

But then Gru happened. Why he had to pick that time to find a place on her shoulder to kiss only he knew. But half the shell fell in with a gasp from Lucy.

"Aww!" She grabbed the spoon close by and started to dig it out. "Gru please!"

"Hmm?" He was muffled on her skin as he just left a trail of kisses along her neck.

Turning abruptly Gru was surprised by the end of the spoon, covered in cake batter, hitting his nose. Lucy laughed, and then covered her mouth with her hand swiftly. All he could do was stare at her with that batter on his face.

"Sorry.." She muttered, about to grab a towel closely. Instead Gru tugged her close with one hand while the other grabbed something behind her.

White flour was soon flicked on her face as her husband laughed. Lucy had a grin, but was flabbergasted at the same time. "Oh it's on."

Gru tried to pull her away from the counter before she could grab the whisk, but her reaction time was perfect. Splatters of the cake mix were knocked on him while he struggled to reach for more ammo.

The bag of flour was soon in his grasp and while Lucy was now armed and dangerous with that batter, he had arsenal of his own. Both didn't wait and soon it was all out chaos in their kitchen as they started a full out food war.

A white trail of flour lingered in the air as the married couple both ran around the kitchen trying to peg each other with what they had. It didn't matter that the batter was hitting the ceiling or flour was coating the floor. But when Lucy was soon out of cake mix she tried to lunge at him.

Gru slipped, taking Lucy down with him as they landed in a heap on the ground. His arms stayed around her as they sat up, both laughing. With one look at each other they only laughed harder.

His finger wiped some of the batter off his cheek and tasted it. "At least it tastes good."

"I'm going to be getting flour out of my hair for days." Shaking her head Gru laughed as a puff of the flour came off her.

With the moment over and their merriment dying down, Gru just held her on his lap as they sat on the ground. Without warning she wrapped her arms around him and planted a long kiss on his lips. Both of them just grew lost in the moment, enjoying the feel of each other and the lingering taste of cake.

When they broke free Gru couldn't help but chuckle again. "Great lesson."

"It won't be the last."


	34. Stowaway

**_Someone gave me the prompt that Edith would tag along on a mission with Gru and Lucy. (without their knowledge of course) This was fun to write! I don't know if its good enough but I tried. _**

**_Stowaway_**

"Do you have to be so loud?"

"Hey, you're de one who blasted in here like a madwoman."

"At least I have stealth."

"About as much as an elephant."

Even if Lucy shot him an annoyed stare he couldn't help but smirk. Secretly Gru loved being out on the field with her. They had just arrived via Lucy's car to an abandoned farm in northwest Kentucky- just an hour from one of the heaviest guarded bases, Fort Knox.

The AVL suspected a new villain had been hiding out in the area with plans to steal the gold locked away in the vaults there. So of course they sent Gru and Lucy to scope out potential threats.

The actual barn had been abandoned and it was so old that the foundation looked like it could give way at any moment. But they snuck in, ready to investigate. "If you were a super villain, where would you put the secret door..." Lucy was scoping the place with one of her devices.

Gru shook his head while he followed behind her. "If? I was one." He chuckled.

"Rhetorical question."

"Look for abnormal, dat is usually first mistake." His eyes glanced up to the loft above the old stable stalls, expecting to see something.

Lucy snapped her device closed and slipped it in her purse. "Do most villains make mistakes?"

"De new ones? Always."

"Have you?"

Gru glanced at her; Lucy was typing something into her phone before looking back at him. In the dusty air he swore she saw him smirk. "I am not de one on trial here." Rolling his eyes he turned to head out. "We should do a scan-"

An old barrel toppled over not ten feet from the pair. Gru swore he saw a shadow lurking close by and with a zip of his coat pulled his freeze ray out. Lucy followed suit, but stayed close to him. Carefully he approached, and then lunged behind the beam supporting the loft, his gun pointed to the shadow he swore he saw.

He did a double take. There was someone alright. Someone in a black ninja suit and a pink cap.

"Edith?!"

Lucy smacked his head as he yelled. "Hush!"

Edith stood there with nuchucks in hand. "Um." She whispered. "Hi?"

Gru didn't hesitate to tuck his weapon away and scoop up his daughter. With an agitated groan he quietly carried her outside with Lucy following. Once at the car he set her down. "Vat on de earth are you doing here?"

"I wanted to come! It gets boring when you leave."

"How did you even get here?!" Gru pulled out his phone. He'd have to call the minions to come and get her.

Edith knew what he planned to do and jumped up, grabbing his arm. He was stronger but it did put a pause on his dialing. "I hid in Lucy's car. When you said goodbye to us I had a window open and ready and rushed out."

For a ten year old she was definitely cunning but that just made his anger rise. "Edith dis isn't some vacation, it can get dangerous."

"It seemed dusty, not dangerous."

Lucy giggled which made Gru push his fingers on the bridge of his nose. "Keeten you do not understand. If-"

Almost on cue, something happened. Sounds of wood breaking and the ground trembling caused Gru to protectively wrap his arm around Edith. The farm they had just been in collapsed, the old wood finally caving in.

After it settled and Lucy waved off the cloud of dust she went back towards it. "I bet the base is underground, someone triggered something and it caused the barn to fall."

Gru looked to Edith then Lucy, giving a long sigh. He set his daughter down and typed a quick text. "Edith stay close to me, understood?"

"Hai!" She pulled up her mask and followed him back to the rubble where Lucy was already starting to dig through.

When she pulled out a new gadget from her purse and hit a button on it, it started beeping. "Ha! Metal! Down below!"

He did a quick look around; pausing where it looked like some old haystack had not fallen over. He heard Edith next to him as he walked over the rubble to it. When he pushed, he found the whole stack moved with a clicking sound.

"Look! It's a door!"

Lucy rushed up next to him and sure enough, a small door had been hidden there. Much too small for him, however.

"We'll have to send word to Silas, I'm pretty sure we have some robotic drones that can fit."

"Dey'd have to hurry. Likely dat sound was someone getting ready to take off."

Lucy frowned. "Can you get some of your munchkins here?"

Gru opened his phone, only to hear the little metal door open with it. To his shock he saw Edith, then poof. She went down the shaft into the dark corridor. Dropping everything he fell to his hands and knees. "Edith!" He called, trying to see down into the darkness.

Her voice called back. "It's okay! It's not deep!"

Gru was about to try and stuff himself down the square foot shaft when Lucy pulled on his scarf. "Get back up! And be quiet!"

"But.." He didn't even want to think about what could happen down there; Edith was cunning but still just a child.

The redhead tossed some goggles down. "Edith! Heads up!"

"Got em!"

"Put those on and try and be quiet!"

Still holding onto Gru's scarf Lucy pulled him to stand. Her purse opened up to show a little monitor screen, her fingers typing in something. To his amazement the screen showed what Edith likely was seeing.

"Hear me, kiddo?" Lucy spoke quietly.

"Yeah.." Edith whispered. It was some relief to him that she sounded okay but her down there was going to give him a panic attack.

"Just.. stay calm okay?" Gru sounded the worst off out of the three.

Her head was looking around as she started walking, the corridor coming to a wide opening. Down a ladder the path did become bigger, where there would have been perfect room for the adults.

"Edith, do you notice anyone?"

"No.. It just smells like Gru's plane that's all."

"Plane?" Gru pushed his brows together. "It's likely exhaust."

With a nod Lucy continued to talk to Edith. "Try and find the end okay?"

"What? No. She should wait dere."

"I'm on it!" On the screen all he could do was watch as it seemed Edith was running down the path.

There was nothing around her which made Gru feel slightly better but he knew a base like this would be guarded. Lucy seemed so into what Edith was doing, eyes glued to the screen.

Edith came to a standstill as there was a sound. Below his feet Gru could feel some vibrations and he instantly worried that Edith was going to be stuck down there. He went to look at his phone again, he had sent word to the minions to head here but so far the tracking in his phone wasn't picking up anything.

"Let me go!"

His fear became reality as he looked back to the screen, Edith was being picked up by some golden robot that made sounds as if was going to fall apart at any moment. To her best effort she was being dragged away by the robot only a foot or so bigger than her.

Gru was about to grab something from his coat that would blow a hole in the ground, when the rubble started to move. "Gru! Move!" Lucy rushed off and for a split second Gru wondered if he should stay and fall down the opening doors. Edith was down there, he had to save her.

But holding back a groan he rushed off with Lucy, almost slipping at the last second. All of the debris from the farm fell down what appeared to be a deep underground tower. A roar of engines could be heard and before the pair could even ready themselves a large airship suddenly came out of the gap. Its gold color seemed to be brighter in the sunlight, the whole look of it seemed hastily put together with panels missing and wires hanging out of the bottom.

None the less, it was packing a few very large missiles under its wings. Its obvious goal was going to be the fort not far away; but Gru wasn't worried about that. The beeping from her purse made Lucy check it- the device she had let Edith use had a tracking device on it. "She's on that thing!"

That was all he needed to hear. With the winds kicking around the dusty debris of the barn Gru drew out his grappling hook and fired; because of the shabby work it was easy to snag on one of the wings. A few loud pops and the ship took off- Gru rushing off with it.

He thought he heard Lucy behind him, but soon all he could make out was the roars of the turbines and wind. When he grabbed hold of a ledge, he used all the strength he could muster to climb to the main hold; kicking at what appeared to be a door on the side. When it didn't budge, he used the next best thing, his laser gun.

A whole was made and with a mild burst some of the gold-painted metal busted out. Wires were sparking and with a yell he managed to roll inside and peered around. It wasn't big; the pilot he could only assume was this new villain was glancing back at him with a wide eyed stare. To Gru's surprise, this guy looked like some punk who barely was out of high school.

Everything inside was painted a gold color- obviously why the kid wanted the gold bars that were locked up. "Wait.. you're Gru!" With his scarf billowing around him from the air rushing in Gru just glanced around until he spotted Edith; kicking the robot drone that was holding onto her. "Hey!" The 'villain' yelled, as Gru walked over and promptly kicked the homemade robot in the head- making it drop the girl.

Edith moved back behind Gru as he glanced back to the kid who was flying the ship. This kid was young, much too young to be a villain. A feeling of nostalgia swept over him, this was probably his first heist. "Land, now!" The kid looked scared, rightly so. After all Gru was pretty well known from the years he was the greatest- but Gru didn't expect the kid to hit his chair and escape using an ejection seat.

Issue was, that left him in a badly built airship that was now starting to drop from the sky. Edith clung onto his leg and he bent down to pick her up and rushed to the controls. When he hit a few of the buttons on the panel sparks started to fly from it.

"This thing is a piece of junk!" Edith gripped his scarf. "What are we going to do?"

Gru felt the force of the ship starting to fall and even saw through the front window the ground getting closer. Without another thought he ran to where he came in and held onto Edith tight enough so when he jumped out- she would stay close to him.

He knew that feeling of falling before; but it didn't make it easier. Especially when all he could think of was how Edith was with him. Maybe if he landed first he'd take most of the blow.

He stopped way before he should have and not on ground. Landing on his back with Edith on top of him Gru could only blink and notice he was in the backseat of Lucy's car- which was now flying through the sky. "Lucy!" Edith cried, jumping up from the man's chest. The top was open… Lucy must have flown in while he had jumped out. The top closed as Gru sat up, glancing around. With a long winded groan he fell back down and closed his eyes. He'd have to thank Lucy later for saving them.

* * *

Lucy and Gru sat on the ground in a field where the ship had crashed landed. As other agents of the AVL came in to do cleanup work Lucy got a call from Silas, explaining the so called 'villain' had been picked up, found wrapped up in his parachute and high in a tree. After a briefing she snapped her phone shut, looking to Edith. The girl was sitting on her dad's lap, watching as the various trucks were scooping up debris from the crash.

"Good work today Edith!" With a bright smile Lucy rested her hand on the girls head.

The blond gave a grin. "Can I come next time?"

"Dat is a no, with a capitol 'n'." Gru grumbled, still annoyed.

He didn't see the small wink Lucy gave the girl, but he did see how giddy she was. Glancing to Lucy he frowned towards her; but when she leaned in and kissed his cheek he dismissed it for now. At least his girl was safe.

A sudden beep of his phone and he answered it; listening to a frantic minion on the other line. "I texted you like an hour ago! Yes, Edith is here… what?! No no no don't bring de plane, I got her, I got her." Hanging up he looked at his daughter. Next time he'd check for methods of escape before leaving for these missions.

"Lucy, can I use those goggles again sometime?"

"Well sure you can! Oh.. We could totally dominate at hide and seek!"

With the sounds of giggling Gru closed his eyes. "Des gurls will be the death of me."


	35. Fight

_**Right after I posted my Stowaway prompt I got this one and I wrote up something quick. I love Edith. She's the one I think would relate to Gru most, but that's just me. **_

_**Set before the second movie, obviously!**_

_**Fight**_

"Do you understand the severity of the situation, Mr. Gru?"

"Yeah yeah I got et. I'm going to be talking with her. Okay?"

The principal narrowed her eyes but nodded. "Then you can go, Edith is going to be suspended for the rest of the week."

Gru wanted to object but instead just took his leave out of her office. Right outside the door Edith sat, holding an ice pack on her cheek. With one glance to her the blond pushed off the chair and followed him outside.

It had only been a few months since Gru officially had adopted the girls. Since then he had been trying his best to be a respectable father figure for them but every once in a while they'd have an incident like this. It made him wonder how good of a father he really could be.

The girl sat in the backseat of his car, rubbing on the red cheek that had been covered with the ice. Gru drove in silence for a while, unsure of what he could say.

"You missed a turn."

"What who.. oh." Gru groaned. "Listen, don't.. don't fight, okay? Dat isn't what-"

"He started it." Her voice turned defensive.

"Den next time tell someone."

Edith glanced out the window. Gru found himself going a further way home then he intended, but maybe this was a chance he could really get more information from her. "Tell me how it started."

Her cap was pulled down a bit more; Gru noticed she did this whenever she felt uncomfortable. He kept glancing to the rearview mirror to watch her as she spoke.

"He.. he tried to take my hat."

Gru raised a brow. "Is dat really so bad?"

"He said I was stupid. That the hat was ugly like me."

Shaking his head the man almost wished he could have smacked the kid himself. "You are not. Don't-"

"He also said I was weird because I was adopted."

Gru gripped the wheel, trying not to seem just as upset as Edith likely had been. "Dat was no reason to hit him…" Even if he really wished he could have seen her go postal on the brat.

It got quiet and when they finally pulled up to his house, Gru glanced back at her. To some surprise, she had her cap down enough to cover her eyes. It was then he saw the tears she was trying to hide. Reaching back, his hand tugged on that pink material, trying to have her look at him.

"Edith, it's okay."

"You don't get it!" She smacked his hand away which was a bit surprising. The fact she did it hurt more than then anything. "I don't like the school. I don't like those kids… they all think I'm weird."

"I hear you.." he sighed, wishing that he could make those tears go away. "When I was your age.. I got into fights every other day."

She sniffed, pushing back her cap to look at him. "Yeah?"

Gru wondered for a moment if he should tell her. After all, he had to try and get her to stop this behavior. "Yes.. I haven't always been dis cool.." He gave her a smile, which she did respond with. "But dey stopped. And I moved on."

"How did you move on?" The bruise on her cheek caught his eye again. It really worried him.

He waved his hand. "Science stuff rockets and space… De things I loved. I focused on dem and realized dat I was better den what dey said."

Edith blinked and went to rubbing her eyes as she tried to think. "What.. what do you think I could do?"

"Oh I'll help you think of something."

* * *

"Woooah! Is that a real sword?"

Gru held the little katana above her so she couldn't reach, but Edith wasn't going to stop trying. "Yes et is, but!" He set it back on the bookcase in his office. "Once you go to some classes I'll let you have it. Karate, kendo.. you like all dat stuff don't you?"

"Yeah!" Edith laughed. "You're really going to let me learn all that?"

Gru knelt down, his hand on her shoulder. "If you promise me not to fight anymore. One more fight and I'll stop de classes. Okay?"

Edith gave a little smile. "Yeah… I promise."

"Good. Now go wash up."

Her smile made him do the same, glad she was back to a somewhat normal state. She rushed off to do what he asked, while Gru glanced to his cell and hit a button.

"Yes.. hello Mom… Edith needs a good karate instructor, know anyone?"


	36. One Big Unicorn

_**One Big Unicorn**_

The small chair was awkwardly uncomfortable, just as he remembered it. He really had no intention of being here ever again but after the phone call he had, it was imperative that he showed up. The lines of blank, unhappy photos were darker then he remembered; but the first time he had come to Miss Hattie's his intentions had been different. Now he sat, alone in her office with a haunting feeling over his heart.

"Mr. Gru." Her accent and tone made him cringe inwardly. The woman moved from the doorway to her desk, fingers folding under her rounded chin. "You came on time, so thank you for that."

"Yes vell… it sounded important." He twisted his hands together, watching the woman as she studied him back.

Taking a deep breath she removed a file from her drawer. "It is very important. It seems… the girl's birth parents want them back."

The man dropped a brow. "Which girl?"

"All of them." The file fell on her desk when she spoke. "So if you'll just sign these papers and we can-"

Anger caused him to stand, tossing the chair he had sat on back on its side. "Never. De gurls are mine, I am –"

"Their father?" She scoffed. "Mr. Gru, look at you. Do you honestly believe you're… father material?"

The slam of his fists on her desk surprised them both. None the less he spoke in a hiss, the anger growing to fury. "Yes, I do. Of all de mistakes I made de gurls are de best."

Her eyes were on his, but he didn't like how she waved her hands. "Hear that, girls? He thinks you're a mistake."

Confusion crossed his face while he turned his body- seeing his three girls standing just a few feet behind him. How they got there, why they were there… he had no idea. But how they looked at him, he felt his heart breaking in two.

"You think we were a mistake?" Margo was clutching Agnes' hand while Edith tugged her cap down further.

"No.. no keeten, I just meant.." He went to them, but not before they turned away. "I.. just meant, I didn't expect to.."

With their backs to him, all Gru could do was bite down on his lip. He made a mistake alright, a mistake to think he could be their dad. "Sign the papers, Mr. Gru. The girls deserve better." Off at the end of the room, he saw figures. For some reason, he couldn't focus on their faces. Just his three kittens walking towards them, towards their real family.

In his hand he grabbed a pen. While his fingers were numb, his heart was aching. With a scratching sound on paper he left the signature that would guarantee he'd never see his girls again.

"No!"

His breathing was shallow, trying to grasp for air as he sat up abruptly from his bed. The act of it caused his partner and fiancé next to him to wake; her emerald eyes blinking back the dizziness of sleep. "Gru?" She whispered, trying to see him in the dark.

He made no other sound, just pushed back the sheets and rushed to the door of the room. "Wait!" Lucy half whispered, trying not to make enough sound to wake any innocent girls down the hall. Yawning, the redhead pushed out and followed him, rubbing her eyes as she did.

Gru stopped at the girls' bedroom door, only then mustering up enough calmness to open the door. When he snuck inside, he found it easy enough to remain calm as he looked around the room. Inside with the glow of nightlights were his kittens, all three in a deep sleep.

The pain in his heart dulled and he swore his body was ready to collapse right there. Instead he just sat down right next to their beds, just listening to their soft breathing. Before he knew it, a pair of arms slipped around his neck, than a chin rested on his head. Lucy was behind him and bent down, hugging him closer without a word.

Gru wasn't sure how long he just sat there or if Lucy minded just staying where she was. He just had to try and stop that image in his head, the look on the girl's faces and the ache in his chest. When he felt able to leave the room he started to move and Lucy instantly moved with him. She waited with a smile as he went to each girl to give another goodnight kiss.

Hand in hand Lucy led him back to his room, yawning again. When they crawled back under his covers he expected her to ask him questions, it was obvious the dream he had wasn't pleasant for him. But Lucy was quiet, save for a few yawns between nuzzling her face against his cheek.

When Gru finally did speak; he was sure his soon to be wife was asleep. "I made a mistake."

"Yeah you did, you didn't give me a goodnight kiss yet."

Her words made him smile. Which he desperately needed. "De girls. I adopted them on selfish intentions."

Lucy lifted her head, so she could stare into his eyes. "Gru… you love them. They love you! That's what matters now."

He pushed his lips together, trying not to think of how sad Margo's voice was. "Vat if de keetens want… to meet deir real parents?"

When her head tilted to rest on his chest, all Gru could do was hold her close. "What do you mean? They have a real parent."

Lucy was smiling, which made him want to just pull her even closer. Turning on his side, he kept her close to him as he rested his lips on her hair. When he spoke it was softer, the weariness taking over from the emotional dream. "You're right."

"Of course I am." She wiggled against him, chin raised to catch his lips with her own. Legs and arms intertwined all they could do was give a few soft touches. The tender kisses lasted a few seconds before Lucy closed her eyes. "Yay, I got my kisses." Her voice dragged out, obviously on the verge of sleep.

After a soft laugh, Gru closed his own eyes- content with Lucy sleeping soundly in his arms and his girls down the hallway.


	37. Broken

_**I got an anon request for this sometime ago and I had a few other people ask for the same thing. Sorry it took a while. **_

_**Broken**_

Lucy was lounging in bed in the early evening, in her hands a book she was struggling to get through. She wasn't such a heavy reader, she usually used this technique to just fall asleep. She had been in the middle of dozing when she heard the loud chime of her cell. It wasn't late yet, but there weren't many people who called her. Glancing at the picture that popped up, she grinned. When she flipped it open she spoke in an accent that border lined Gru's, her own little twist on it.

"How you doing, hmm? Been missin' your Luuucy?" She gave a light laugh, closing her book. For a second, it was quiet over the line, but when his voice spoke up she lost her smile.

"Can you meet me at de hospital?"

There was a moment where she felt her stomach drop. "Wait, what?" Lucy pushed off the bed, rushing to find something to change into while she held the phone to her ear. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, it's not me." He sounded stressed, which made her move faster. "Edith… pah, she was where she should not have been."

"What happened?" She pressed the speaker button as she slipped a shirt over her, then jeans. It wasn't anything like she normally wore but it was better than a nightgown.

"She was climbing down in de lab and fell. Doctor tells me it's just a broken arm."

There was a bit of relief. Kids broke their arms all the time, but it didn't make it any easier. "I'll be there soon okay? Anything I can get for you?"

"No." Gru wasn't really sounding like himself, but she understood why. "Maybe you can stay tonight?"

"Absolutely."

It was around half an hour later when Lucy walked into the emergency room. It wasn't as busy as she expected it to be, which wasn't really a bad thing. It made spotting the other two girls much easier as her eyes gazed over the waiting room. Agnes started waving franticly and Lucy hurried to where they had been just passing time. "Hey you two."

"Hey Lucy!" Agnes jumped up with her arms open. The redhead didn't waste time to pick her up and sit down next to Margo.

"Where's Gru?"

"In the room with Edith." Margo tucked away her phone. "They were setting and wrapping her arm I think. Then we can go."

As they waited Lucy made small talk with the two girls, but was thinking in the back of her mind how Edith was holding up. She was a tough girl, but still a child. Broken arms were painful. In her mind she pictured a crying Edith with Gru trying to comfort her. Agnes pat her cheek which made Lucy blink away those images "Hm?"

"I asked you if we can have a sleep over tonight."

"We'll see, sweetie. Edith may be shook up and need sleep."

"LUCY I HAVE A CAST ON! LOOK!"

The three sitting blinked as they glanced to a pink-capped girl as she rushed to them, ignoring the words of her father behind her. "Edith! No running, do you want to break de other one?"

Sure enough, Edith had a pink cast on her left arm. It wasn't as big as Lucy had imagined it, just short of her elbow. Edith held it up like it was a price. "It's a mark of honor!"

Margo rolled her eyes while Agnes was staring at it with a slack jaw. With a light smile on her lips Lucy looked to Gru, who had an agitated grimace on his face. "Right, well. Home time, let's all go."

About an hour later the girls were in their pajamas and in their room, joining in a little huddle circle with Lucy. In her hand she was writing her name in little loops on Edith's cast, right next to Agnes' scribble and Margo's more elegant. When finished she waved the little marker and smiled. "Ta da!"

"Awesome, thanks Lucy." Edith rolled her arm back and forth to check out the new signatures.

"Sure! Now I hope that's the last time I have to sign any more casts."

Margo shook her head. "Knowing Edith, she'll have a few more by the time she's twelve."

"Either way! It's the last one I will sign!" Lucy reached over and tugged at Edith's hat. "So try not to break anything anymore."

"Yeah, yeah."

Agnes wandered over to sit on Lucy's lap when Gru came into their room. To Lucy's surprise, he was carrying a few things. Including a few pillows and a blanket. When the little girl on her lap saw this she bounced lightly. "Slumber party!"

Gru still seemed agitated but nodded softly. "Yes, I figured.. with Lucy here and all."

"So you guys have had a slumber party before?" Lucy glanced down to Agnes, who nodded quickly.

It didn't take long to lay out the large blanket in the middle of their room, Gru tossing as many pillows as he could find on top of it. When Agnes pulled Lucy to the huge pile the other girls joined in, laying down and giggling about who knows what. Gru switched off the light, leaving only the night lights from each of their beds on.

"Okay, Edith! You pick the story for tonight."

While Gru sat down across from the group of girls, Agnes frowned. "But she picked last time!"

"Vell she had a rough day so."

While Edith rushed to find a book, Lucy couldn't help but smile at Gru. He was missing his coat and scarf and while he looked exhausted he was ready to entertain his daughters. When his eyes caught hers, she was pleased to see him return her smile with his own slight smirk.

"This one!" Edith tossed the book on Gru's lap, before tumbling over to Lucy on the arrangement of pillows. She winced for a moment, forgetting she had a cast on. Lucy promptly wrapped her arm around the girl, then her other around the eldest at her other side.

Gru stared at the cover and then looked slowly up to the girls. "Vere did… I thought.."

"We found it online." Margo was grinning.

Lucy raised a brow as Gru groaned and waved the book around, as if he was going to throw it over his shoulder. "Edith, pick another one."

"Come on!" She used her trump card and raised that pink cast. "I had a bad day, remember?"

His expression was priceless to Lucy. He was caught between reading this book he obviously didn't like or disappointing his little girl. Obviously, he went for what was most important. "Fine… Three Sleepy Keetens."

As he read, Lucy was surprised as he seemed to know what the words were, turning the book as his fingers became little puppets that were attached to the book. The girls were glued to his every word and while they just reclined there Lucy felt an overwhelming feeling of peace.

The girls requested a few more books and Gru just obliged, until all three were slowly yawing their way to sleep. Lucy felt herself getting tired but none the less stuck it out until they were all curled up around her, fast asleep. Only then did Gru come closer, lounging on Edith's other side and slipping his arm around the mound of pillows to rest behind Lucy.

He didn't look so agitated anymore, but still had worry over his expression as he gently moved Edith so her broken arm would be in a safer spot. "She's a tough kid." Lucy whispered, making Gru glance up to her.

"She is." His tiny grin made Lucy want to kiss him. "Do you mind, resting here for a while?"

Lucy didn't know how she'd be able to move, even if she wanted to. Agnes was curled up on her chest and the other two girls seemed attached at her sides. She felt Gru's hand slip around the back of her neck, resting there just to touch her skin. "I wouldn't have it any other way."


	38. Stake Out

_**I got an anon request for a bar fight type of scene but this came to mind instead- I hope you guys like it! I want to write more action related stuff...**_

_**Stake Out**_

Since the incident with El Macho, Gru had been taking his new role in the AVL very seriously. The idea of being a spy was exciting and the fact that he could work with Lucy more just made the job ten times better.

But he didn't expect the boring parts of it, at least this early on. "Dis is excruciating.."

Lucy glanced to him. While the pair had been on just a couple of dates this was their first mission as a couple. Of course it wasn't as thrilling as the last but it wasn't less important. In her car they had been staking out a bar where a villain on their list spent much of their time.

The past four hours nothing at all had happened, save for the occasional chat between the two. "Never said it would be fun."

"Are we sure dis is de place?"

"That's what our resources led us to believe." Lucy leaned back in her seat, arms crossed.

Gru gave the hundredth groan of the evening. "It's just so... Boring."

"If you're so bored we could make out."

The silence spread like wildfire. Lucy likely didn't mean to say that out loud, after all they were still a relatively new couple. Gru had never pushed a kiss and she never enforced it. If anything she loved how he was so reserved and shy about that.

But it didn't change the fact that they had yet to kiss, save for a peck on the cheek. Emerald eyes looked over at him and she grinned, playing it off like it was a joke. "Of course that would be crazy, I mean we are on assignment.."

Gru nodded. His eyes were forward and while it was dark our Lucy swore she saw color on his cheeks. Like a sickness she just kept rambling. "Not to say I don't want to make out, I think it would be fantastic. But what if we missed something or-"

When his hand grabbed hers the rambling stopped. Glancing over at him she felt her heart beat in her throat, Gru was staring at her with a light grin and he was slowly breaking the space between them. For a moment Lucy swore time was slowing down. Fingers slipped around her neck and ushered her even closer towards his face.

When he tilted his head she followed suit. With barely an inch away from each other's awaiting lips- all hell broke loose.

There was a loud bang and the door of the bar swung open- making the pair jump in their seats. Without warning a dozen or so men filed out of the bar, every one of them looking angrier then the last. Each one was tossing out punch after punch, this had obviously been a bar fight gone wrong.

Lucy nudged Gru away; to both of their dislike. "C'mon, let's get these guys to chill."

"On et." Before exiting her car, Gru withdrew his signature weapon. The two agents approached the group of fighting men, not really surprised when they didn't seem to notice the duo. With a shake of his head Gru readied his freeze ray; but not before Lucy spoke up.

"Hey! All you… gentlemen!" Her hand waved in the air, as if she was a child sitting in class. "Listen let's make this easy, any of you know where a man named 'Jeto' is?"

The dozen brawling men paused mid swing. Each of them looked over to Gru and Lucy, ready to start attacking them. Gru slowly looked at Lucy. "Dey won't tell you, what sorta henchman _tells _where dere boss is?"

"Hey it's worth a shot!"

"Where de heck did you learn how to be subtle?" Gru glanced away from Lucy- only to be almost punched by one of the approaching men. He stumbled back, avoiding the oncoming thug but not before slamming the hilt of his freeze ray on the back of the man's head. When the man fell Gru readied his device to aim at the onslaught of men coming for him and Lucy.

A blast of cold air and half of them were frozen instantly, the other half stopping in surprise. Gru felt his eye twitch, he wasn't feeling up for a fight when only moments ago he was about to make a move on Lucy. "Answer de lady! Where is dis.. vat was his name?"

Lucy was about to answer him, but in the corner of his eye Gru spotted something he didn't expect- one of the unfrozen henchmen pulled a gun from his jacket and aimed it. Without a thought Gru grabbed her arm, twisting his much wider frame in front of her as a shot rang in his ears. The next moment happed rather quickly but Lucy took something from her purse and tossed it in the air, causing a blinding flare of light in the dark night.

Everyone was blinded for a moment, Gru included. But Lucy tugged on him and he followed without knowledge of where they were going. As the pair rushed down a nearby alleyway Gru finally caught sight and picked up the running pace behind her. "Dat was unexpected!" He cried out, turning quickly behind a building. Lucy was getting something else from her purse of gadgets.

"I have a feeling that was a set up!" Her phone was in her hand and she pressed a few buttons.

Gru grumbled something about being in the wrong place at the wrong time when there was an echoing sound of engines coming from the alleyway they just exited from. It didn't take long to realize that the men were following with haste. This time he grabbed Lucy's arm and dragged her behind him as he just started running to anywhere that wasn't there.

"Gru we need to get the information on Jeto!"

"I rather us live to give dat information!"

So the couple ran for what seemed like hours, Gru twisting around different buildings and run down alleyways. It was so late at night there was no one else around to get in the way and only when the sounds of engines died down, Gru slowed. By the time he was sure they were in the clear they both were huffing and leaning against an old brick wall. When Lucy caught her breath she managed to glance at her phone, frowning. "We should have grabbed a guy for integration or something.."

"I bet dere is still a few man-cicles back dere." When he moved again, Gru winced at a sudden pain in his arm. Glancing to his shoulder he blinked. Sure enough that bullet must have grazed him, his coat was ripped and the deep red color of blood was staining the fabric.

Almost immediately after he spotted it, Lucy did as well. "Oh Gru, are you okay?"

He had to admit he liked how she suddenly went to his side and leaned in close like that. "Eh, it's nothing big. Let's focus on getting out of here." With her car far back to where they came from Gru started to think of how long before those thugs would try to break into it. Worse yet he didn't have a way to contact his minions to come and pick them up. "Maybe you should-"

Lucy tugged on his scarf so quickly it caused his words to hold in his throat. When he met her eyes with his own he was taken back of how the low moonlight seemed to brighten the green hues; and how close they were. For a second he wanted to say her name but found that perhaps he should make better use of his lips.

He knew it wasn't the best at this but he tried to match her sudden attentive behavior with his arm slipping around her waist. When the two had barely an inch between their faces he could see something along the lines of excitement in those breathtaking eyes of hers. Just like in the car less than an hour ago Gru turned his head just so to plant a soft and welcoming kiss on Lucy's lips.

The two stood in the darkness there, lips finding one another for a long moment. When Lucy drew back with a smile he could only match it. The butterflies were dancing in the pit of her stomach as she knew she'd definitely want to do that again and soon. "Thank you." She managed to say before Gru suddenly stole another kiss.

This time it held a bit more urgency behind it, due to the pent up longing he had for wanting to kiss her for some time. The pain in his arm was gone as all he could focus on was how Lucy was still pulling him even closer by his scarf. Almost like he was drowning in the moment; he completely disregarded the sound of some kind of mechanical vehicle coming closer.

Until he opened his eyes and saw Lucy's face in the light of high beams. Expecting it to be the thugs Gru used his arm around her to maneuver Lucy behind him and tried to reach for his freeze ray once more. But to his surprise it wasn't some motorbike but a blue car.

"Ha!" Lucy gave a little dance as she moved out from behind him, snapping her phone shut. "The automated pilot with tracking device worked! So glad I got that feature!"

Gru blinked and looked at her, then the car. She rushed to get in the driver's side, waving him to come. With no pause he did so and the woman backed up and sped off down the road. "Well... now what?'

"We go lay low for a bit, get that arm wrapped up and then grab one of those guys to get the intel we need." Her smile was addicting. "That could have been worse, I suspect they saw us staking out the joint and caused a distraction."

"Next time we should just go in and start beating people up." Gru glanced to his arm, where the bleeding may have stopped but the sting remained.

"That was plan two." When Gru looked at her, he was surprised to see her smirking. "I just wanted to see how long it took you to make a move, partner."

His blank stare caused her to giggle. "Kidding! Kidding!" Lucy chimed in, so not to make him too upset with her. Gru groaned and leaned back in the seat. While this first round was failed, at least he did get something great from it.


	39. Mugged

_**This is short! But I saw an online prompt somewhere to imagine your otp being mugged and how they would react. I just instantly saw this in my head.**_

_**Mugged**_

In the winter months of the year the air to be bitter cold, making the couple walking down the empty sidewalk stay close to one another. Gru slipped his arm around his wife without any sign of modesty; after they had been married for a few months he found he didn't mind some PDA. Lucy had insisted a date night of dinner and a new spy movie that had just come out so Gru happily obliged. They had a few days off together and with how hectic work had been the pair needed some rest and relaxation with one another.

The pair took a shortcut home through a nearby park. It was late and no one was around, which didn't really matter to them. "I saw de ending coming."

"You always say that." Lucy smirked as her eyes caught his face. She was bundled up a lot like he was, coat and scarf but while he didn't ever seem to get cold Lucy was keeping warm by leaning against him. "How do you always guess?"

"Experience." His grin made her laugh. "Besides, de people who make those movies have no idea what it's really like."

"To be a spy?" Lucy hugged onto his frame a little tighter, to keep herself from freezing. He responded with a tighter embrace as well, keeping up with her strides.

"No, de villain."

Early on in their relationship the two had very long talks about each other's pasts. So Lucy knew more than most about his motives and the ideas he had to pull off so many of his heists. But it still fascinated her whenever he brought it up. "You think the villain was unbelievable?"

Gru rolled his eyes, but held that small smile. "He was way too dramatic. You never just-"

"Hold it!"

The two stopped on the concrete path. Blinking away the moment Gru noticed a younger adult standing in front of them, dressed in heavy clothes and wearing a ski mask. Lucy's grip on Gru lessened just enough for the man to react and stick a hand in his pocket. "Just hand over what you got and no one gets hurt."

He was pushing his coat pocket out to make the pair believe he had a gun. For a moment there was no sound except the breeze hitting the nearby trees. But soon laughter erupted from Gru, making both Lucy and the mugger blink in surprise. In fact, his laughter got so hard to contain he bent over for a second and wiped a tear from his eye.

"Hey man this isn't funny!"

"Oh but it is." Gru huffed, still in merriment over it.

"Aw be nice to the kid." Lucy pulled away from Gru for a second. "What's your name, hm?"

The man was on edge but also in shock; after all he had expected this to be very different. "W-What? I am not telling you! Now give me that purse!"

"Lucy watch out, he may have a knife on him." Gru chuckled.

This time Lucy couldn't help but stifle a laugh. The man did happen to pull out his hand from his pocket; Gru had to bite back more laughter as he saw it was in fact a large knife in his hand. "Ha! Told you."

Clearly, the man didn't like being laughed at. So lunging for the couple he was thinking they would see he meant business and finally get scared of the situation. But unfortunately, this was not going to be his night. Lucy's right leg swept up to knock the knife from his hand while a fist from the bald man hit his jaw simultaneously. The blow caused him to stumble and land on the ground next to the married couple; dizziness overwhelming him and making him pass out.

Gru rolled his wrist, before glancing to his wife. "Predictable."

The redhead gave him a tiny grin before kneeling down to their assailant. "Poor kid."

"Eh, he tried. But life is full of disappointment."

"Come on, let's take him where he needs to be."

After a debate on actually leaving the man alone and knocked out in the park, the couple carried him to the local police station and dumped him on the curb. Back to keeping each other warm they started back towards their home, as if the whole incident never happened.


	40. Overprotective

**_Gru as an overprotective Dad makes me smile. =D_**

**_Overprotective_**

In midafternoon Lucy Wilde parked her car in front of Gru's house, taking a bag or two from the backseat afterwards. Her fiancé had insisted on her to start bringing things over to his house as they were only a few weeks to being married. The whole concept hadn't even sunk in yet, being a wife and caretaker for his girls. Not to say she wasn't excited.

Setting one bag down Lucy opened the front door, pausing when she saw two people glance at her. Gru was standing there in his sweater and Margo right in front of him. They both had an expression of irritation and for a split second Lucy hoped it wasn't about her.

Gru shook his head, as if dismissing what was bothering him. "No more discussing." He stated flatly as he approached Lucy and took the bags from her. She would have protested but it seemed Gru just wanted a reason to exit the room.

"It's not fair, though!" Margo wasn't about to give up. "You can't give me a good reason to why not."

Lucy watched as Gru carried the bags into the living room and Margo stayed at his heels. With curiosity getting the best of her the redhead closed the door and followed.

"Reason is dat I said no. Case closed."

"That isn't a valid reason!"

"Dat is de joy of being me, what I say goes."

Margo had an expression of anger and hurt. Lucy finally spoke up, before this argument got out of hand. "What's this about, Hm?"

Both of them started talking at once; Margo speaking up about a group of friends seeing a movie and hanging at the mall for a few hours and Gru went on about 'unsupervised hijinks' and how some friends were boys.

"They are just friends!" Margo looked to Gru for a second. "Stop acting like you 'know what's best'."

Lucy felt this was going to end badly if the argument continued. Usually things could be said people didn't mean and feelings hurt. Gru was about to retort when Lucy moved to his side and took his hand. "Gru." He instantly looked at her, a bit more surprised than anything. "Let her go. She's a young lady now."

"But... What? No! I said no and I-"

Her hand tugged on his and leaned in a bit. "Don't do something you'll regret later, big guy."

To Lucy's surprise he jerked his hand back. The motion was quick but no less made her feel awful all of a sudden. Gru grumbled something before turning to leave, stating at the end; "No means no."

Margo and Lucy were left alone and while Lucy was still feeling rejected by his hand snapping away she played up being cheerful for Margo. "Don't worry, I'll talk to him."

"It's okay, Lucy." The eldest was looking about as depressed as a preteen could. "I can just... Stay home. On a Saturday night."

Lucy shook her head. "No you won't. I'll make sure of it."

* * *

"Gru?"

The ex-villain looked up from nothing; he had just been stewing in his anger for a while in his office. When he saw Lucy's head pop in and hover behind the door he tried to give a little smile.

"Yeah, come in."

So she did, closing the door behind her. Her fingers curled together in front of her form as she walked to his desk, staring down at him. "Feeling better?"

Nodding, he let his smile fade. "Sorry I snapped at you."

_At least he admitted it_, she thought. "I think you should let Margo go be with her friends."

He just stared at her, his frown coming back. "She's too young."

"She's too young for a lot of things but not this. I can drive her to the mall and pick her up. It's the weekend and she-"

"Lucy." His tone turned darker again. But none the less, he tried to speak calmly. "I don't want something... To happen to her."

"What could possibly happen to her?" Leaning forward her hands found a place on his desk.

Fingers pinched the bridge of his nose. "..de.. roof could collapse. Or!" He snapped to attention. "She could get kidnapped!"

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "You're just finding reasons from nothing. Margo is the most mature girl I've met. Probably had to grow up quick when she took Agnes and Edith under her wing."

Gru was about to say something but Lucy kept rambling. "Gru stop, she really just wants to have a normal, fun night with her friends. How hard can it be to just say yes?"

His hands collided with one another on his desk as he just hung his head in defeat. "…I don't want her growing up too quickly."

"Aww, hunny." Lucy walked around the desk, ushering him back so she could flop herself on his lap. While he seemed surprised by this, he was happily running his hand along her back as she held onto him. "Just think, no matter what, she'll be your girl."

This did bring a light smirk on his face as he considered that. "Fine.." He let out a little huff. "You'll take her den?"

With a nod Lucy leaned in and gave him a quick kiss. "I'm on it."

So with a much happier Margo in the front seat Lucy drove her just as promised. "Thank you for convincing him." The eldest said, once they pulled up in front of the mall.

"Of course kiddo. He just cares in his own crazy-over-protective-kinda-clingy way." Margo gave a laugh while Lucy continued. "Phone charged?"

"Yep!"

"You'll answer when I call?"

"Promise."

The redhead gave grin. "Go have fun."

Margo beamed, pushing out of the car. For a moment she paused, before closing the door. "Hey.. Lucy? Tell Gru that I understand, okay? And that I said thank you."

"Will do." Lucy kept her eyes on the girl as she rushed off, meeting a small group of other kids around the entrance. On the drive back she kept thinking about how it really wouldn't be too long before Margo was in high school, driving her own car and even dating. Just that overwhelming few minutes of emotions and suddenly Lucy could really get what Gru was talking about. However it must be even worse for him, having the girls longer and taking them in like he did.

When she found him in the kitchen making dinner, she placed a kiss on his cheek and smirked as he just stared back at her. "Margo says thank you." Even if he gave a grunt of annoyance, Lucy saw his lips curl to a smirk.


	41. Bad Night

_**So I got a lot of prompts for sad stuff and every one of them was great; I will probably write more of them. This was an anon, about Lucy remembering a tragic event. **_

**_Bad Night_**

It was a dim glow that was the only light in the room, provided by the owner of the phone it came from. The blinking line that was waiting for text seemed like the beating of her heart as Lucy just continued to stare at the electronic device. Up in the corner of the screen the time seemed to be at a standstill at three am. It was likely she wouldn't sleep anymore that night.

Her apartment seemed to be another world, completely different from her own. The couch felt stiff and the hum of the air circulating was a quiet monster. Even the faint echo of the wind chimes right outside her back patio door sounded alien. The dull pain in her stomach started to return, while the woman's mind started to picture what she dreamt about hours before.

Thumbs started to work on the pad device of her phone. It was past three in the morning and even if the person she was texting was asleep; Lucy had to touch out to someone. Over the past few months since she had started dating Gru she knew he would understand if she called him. But that seemed too intrusive, too desperate for contact. For years she dealt with this by herself so what was another night?

'Had that dream again.'

Staring at the text she couldn't bring herself to push send yet. The time she told Gru about her reoccurring dream; that dream that was actually a memory, he was very supportive. He went on and on about if she ever needed him to just say so. Letting a sigh escape she pressed send and leaned back on the couch.

In the darkness her eyes were adjusting and seeing the darker shades of the furniture in her living room. It was if numbness spread over her body, making her a little relieved. Maybe that was best, to just forget about everything and lose herself in the darkness of the room. Lids slowly closed while Lucy tried to see if relaxing on the familiar yet different couch would help her sleep.

It was a mistake. Her mind betrayed her; showing the outline of the dream. The feeling of loss and pain came from seeing her mother in her bed. Bright hair, just like her own lost much of its bright hue in the course of a few hours. It could have been a trick of her mind but the representation was there. Seeing her mother die over and over again was the treachery of her tired mind.

This time when she opened her eyes, tears came from them as well. Parents were lost every day and while hers were taken much more abruptly then some.. she could deal with it. After all there were people who never knew their parents, like those three beautiful girls Lucy was growing to love. She got over twenty years with her parents so what else could she ask for?

Except maybe another day with her mother who always seemed so carefree and bubbly. Her father who was strong willed and determined. How much they loved one another and how perfect life was growing up. Against the backdrop of life her home was borderline family-sitcom status. Maybe that's what made it even harder to overcome. Their lives weren't supposed to end that way.

A glance to her phone let he know only twenty minutes had past and there was no new word from Gru. Not that she expected him to get back to her yet, it was way too early. Finally standing from her couch the woman clad in only a nightgown went to her small kitchen. The glow from her fridge flooded the room as she tried to determine if warm milk or tea would help her calm quicker.

A sudden knock on her door almost made her drop the carton. Instantly her training kicked in and she hovered around the corner of the hallway and peered down to the front door of the apartment. She waited about ten seconds before the knock echoed once more. Hitting the light switch to get some overhead light she blinked to adjust to how bright it was from being in darkness moments before.

Fingertips rested on the door as she leaned in; catching a glance through the peep hole. What she saw was mildly surprising.

Unlocking it with haste she opened the door to find herself staring at a partially weary Gru. While his face looked to her own she couldn't help but examine him. He had thrown on pants and his usual sweater, but his feet were clad in a pair of slippers. While she was in no laughing mood, she had to admit it was a sight she'd never forget.

"Are you okay?"

The simplicity of his words made her heart beat faster. It was if there was something ready to detonate in her chest and Gru just bumped it. Hard.

"I.." Lucy started, not really caring she was standing there in a nightgown, hair frizzled and curled in a very bed-head way. "..don't know. To be honest."

Gru had a very calm demeanor with her even as he stepped inside her apartment. Lucy stepped back, letting him in while she could only cross her arms. When he closed the door behind him she suddenly felt so small. "You didn't have to come over."

"Don't worry about dat." Fingers cupped her chin, bringing a bit of life back to her numb body.

Her mind pictured him, rushing out of his house in his slippers. "The girls…?"

"I have de minions on guard. Dey are fast asleep."

Silence carried over them for what to Lucy felt like eternity. It hadn't been the first night like this. It likely wouldn't be the last. But with Gru now standing in front of her, somehow it seemed a little less miserable.

Lucy curled her fist to her chin after his hand left it. While her body felt numb from the pain she wasn't excused for feeling an overwhelming sense of love for the man who took her bad night as priority over his sleep. He was watching her, keeping as tranquil as she wished her mind could be. When she felt tears come again she wasn't exactly mindful of hiding them.

Gru wrapped his arms around her with a devoted embrace and while she knew she was crying now, Lucy couldn't seem to stop. The raw emotions that she had felt in the span of an hour was making her heart burst and the salty solution down her cheeks were now absorbing on his grey sweater. Her arms were pressed against his torso, fingers gripping at what she could as the sobs were muffled on Gru's shoulder.

One of his warm hands rested on her head as he just held her there; for a length of time unknown to both of them. When Lucy felt herself growing weary of letting that emotion flow from her she finally pushed barely on him; and Gru responded with a very careful draw back. Lucy felt her face was on fire and some of the feeling in her limbs seemed to respond with her movements.

And while Lucy knew she looked a mess, standing there with red cheeks and puffy eyes Gru looked at her like she was Aphrodite herself. That hand on her hair shifted to rest on her cheek, thumb caressing the skin while he spoke. "Anything I can get you?"

"Naw.." She felt slowly like herself. The dream was a bad memory again; something she'd keep in the back of her mind until this sort of thing would happen again. "Let's cuddle on the couch."

* * *

_**I have a new headcannon about Lucy now. The wedding scene in the movie was pretty much -all- Gru's friends/minions and even his mother. No one seemed close to Lucy; no random person that we hadn't seen before. Why? Sure, the animators likely made it easy on themselves and didn't create new models.. but! In my head? I start to think that maybe Lucy has no family anymore and because of that she didn't gather many friends after her folks died. **_

_**Just a thought.**_


	42. Belt Buckle

_**AFter seeing DM2 again this idea came to me. :D**_

_**Belt Buckle**_

"Those girls totally adore you. I bet you're a fun dad."

Gru was surprised for a moment, but approved of his partner's words. "Huh. I am pretty fun."

The ex-villain followed Lucy Wilde back towards the undercover shop, where she was explaining to an onlooker that while remodeling the shop was closed. So far their next suspect was hard to get intel on, so traditional spying wasn't going to work.

Gru had to admit he was starting to let Lucy grow on him. While her bubbly personality rubbed him in an odd way, having another adult close to his age was a welcoming relief. "Come here, come here!" Her chipper voice called from the kitchen area of the shop, where he followed the sound. "I have a great idea."

He saw her holding a round metal device, her slender finger poking at the front. "What is it?" He asked, the intrigue getting to him.

"It's a belt buckle!" As if it was some badge, she flashed it to him and grinned. "Tracks chemicals, just like the PX-41." Lucy looked him over, noticing how he came across confused. "You just put it on and walk in that shop. I'll be able to track it from here."

The idea of using another device was not very appealing to Gru. After seeing… much more then he thought he'd ever view of Lucy Wilde with those x-ray goggles; the thought of it so close to his lower half made him cringe. "I don't think so."

"It's easy, come on!"

Gru barely had time to react. Lucy drew in close to him, a hand reaching for his belt. At the angle, the man couldn't help himself to snatch at her wrist. Emerald eyes caught his and that smile she always had drifted away. "What is it?"

His mouth opened- then snapped shut. How could he say that he didn't want her anywhere near his belt? Not to say the idea of a woman messing with his clothing wouldn't excite him but not like this. When he felt himself choke up a bit, his scowl returned. "Dis isn't necessary. I'll just go in dere and-"

"Oh pff. Don't worry, I'm gentle." Lucy was probably teasing him but that didn't help.

She gave him a look and for a moment in time Gru let his imagination run rapid. Thoughts of Lucy suddenly rolled around in his mind and not all of them were innocent. When he realized just what he was thinking, Lucy was already tugging at his belt with her other hand.

Lucy was very professional about it and Gru wanted to just crawl in a hole and hide for a few years. After all this was Lucy. His partner. She was enthusiastic, irritating and… well she was sort of attractive in that awkward way.

A little gasp came from behind him. Lucy was bent down barely, so to anyone behind him the two didn't exactly appear innocent. Even more so if his cheeks were as red as they felt. When he glanced over his shoulder he saw three of the minions, one with his hands covering his big eye. "..po..po ka?"

Gru moved away from Lucy so fast she almost dropped the buckle on the ground. "Hey!" She stood upright, looking shocked.

The three minions rushed out as Gru stormed at them. When the man stood there, huffing in anger he glanced to Lucy who seemed ready to laugh about something. "I'll do et." Coming back to his original position, he snatched the buckle and started to arrange it on his belt. A certain uncomfortable feeling came over him as Gru finished and glanced at her. He really didn't like her smirk. "What?"

A hand went for the buckle and she leaned in, a bit closer than before. Lucy Wilde was starting to push boundaries with him but Gru couldn't find it in himself to stop her. "The switch is on the top. Make sure it stays on inside." Once more, eyes flicked to his. "Oh.. and don't worry."

"..what?" He gulped a bit, was she leaning in closer? Or was that his mind again?

"I won't comment on how cute you can be when flustered."

Lucy held back the laughter that wanted to escape as Gru turned, muttering some curses in Russian. Of course she could have given him the same sort of device but in the shape of a pen, but what fun would come of that?


	43. Dance Recital

_**Dance Recital**_

"This thing better work inside."

Lucy stepped out of her car in a rush, in her hand a camcorder which she was trying to get to work. On the other side her husband stepped out, looking over at her. "You remembered to change de battery right?"

The woman scoffed, "Please, that was the first-" Pausing mid-sentence she grabbed the bag for it before closing her door, digging for a new battery.

Gru smirked inwardly. In the cooler December air he glanced towards the building where they had arrived at just moments before. "It's going to start soon."

"Ah-ha!" With the new battery in place the woman rushed around the car to take her husband's hand. "Then we better get inside!"

Christmas wasn't exactly Gru's favorite holiday, but the past few years it had become a welcomed season. This would be the first Christmas with his wife, so her excitement over the small traditions he already established with the girls made him love her more. This was one of them, since the girls were still active members of their dance class, every year they put on a short rendition of the Nutcracker.

Inside the decorations were overdone and bright, Christmas lights that used to make Gru cringe now brought a different tone to his mind. Lucy dragged him to their reserved seats; pausing as she saw her chair said 'Margo, Edith and Agnes' Mom'.

Gru took his seat as he grinned up at Lucy, who almost looked like she could cry. Instead she turned on the camera, pointing it at the chair. "I just… need this documented." She muttered, making Gru chuckle.

"Lucy sit." He tugged on her coat and the camera turned to him. "And stop that until it starts."

"No! Let's record every second of this." Sitting down finally Lucy started to record all the decorations set up in the room, including the very tall tree in the corner. "Our tree at home is bigger."

"Of course et is."

"Oh Gru!" Suddenly he was her focus again. He grimaced for a moment, knowing she was recording him again. "What do you want for Christmas?"

"A day where I can sleep."

"That's not something Santa can drop down the chimney."

He glanced at her; it was rather cute to see her with that camera on her face and that large smile on her lips. "Maybe you wrapped up in a bow."

"Hey!" She lowered the camera, looking at the screen. "I don't want the girls to hear that.."

Chuckling softly, the two quieted down as the familiar music started to play. Lights lowered and the other people in the auditorium hushed up as well. It wasn't the first time he'd seen his girls on stage but each time he felt a little bit of pride as the curtains raised and they stood there in their costumes. Lucy was recording already; humming so quietly with the music that Gru found himself wrapping his arm behind her back as they watched.

The usual ballet was much longer, but the group only did a short version of it for the sake of the kids. Once the last scene was complete and the girls all bowed with their friends Lucy jumped up and started applauding so loudly a few people around her blinked in surprise.

Lights came back on and soon enough the girls were coming from backstage to meet with their parents. Lucy shoved the camera in Gru's arms as their three girls came out, rushing to give them hugs. "You guys were fantastic!"

Agnes remained in Lucy's arms as she stood back up. "Did you see me wave?" The littlest asked, holding onto Lucy's coat.

"I did!" She nuzzled her face before looking to the other girls. Gru was helping Edith into her coat while Margo was already pulling her phone from her pocket. "Are you guys ready to head home?"

"Can we watch some Christmas movies?" Margo asked, looking over at Gru. He smirked lightly and simply nodded.

As the family got into Lucy's car and they headed home, Lucy took a longer way so the girls could see the various decorated houses in their neighborhood. Once they did arrive home they all went upstairs to change into pajamas (except Gru, who always seemed more comfortable in his normal clothes) and piled on the couch in the living room to watch some Christmas flicks. With his girls all around him and Lucy's head on his shoulder, Gru had to admit this was his new favorite tradition.


	44. Edith

_**Needless to say, Edith is my favorite of the girls! **_

_**Edith**_

"Agnes, no. I already got you two new stuffed bears."

"But this one has a -bow-." The youngest of Gru's daughters waved the toy around, the size almost as tall as herself. The family of five had been browsing the toy store, as they did every month or so. Lucy insisted that the girls picked out two new toys this time as they had all been getting high marks in school. With a grudging compliance Gru listened to his wife as the girls scattered off to find what they wanted.

"Honey you should just pick two of the bears you already have!" Lucy lowered down to the girl's level, smiling at her.

Agnes, who was already enamored with her new mother nodded. "Okay. Oh! Maybe I'll get a tiger instead!" And with that she ran off with Lucy following.

Gru held the other stuffed animals in his arms, looking a little put off by the atmosphere. He glanced over his shoulder to see Margo looking over a new video game but when he took another look around for Edith he realized he didn't see her. Walking back to his eldest he spoke up. "Hey where's Edith?"

"She went to look at those anime toys." Margo shrugged it off, picking up another game.

Almost as soon as Margo spoke there was a page on the intercom of the large toy store; "Would a Mister Gru please come to customer service?" Margo looked up at him and Gru groaned, knowing full well what this was going to be about.

* * *

"I've told you before de bikes are for display, not to be used in de store."

"Why would they have them assembled then, huh?" Edith sat between her sisters in the back of Lucy's car, empty handed. After the blonde had caused a scene where she started biking through the store and knocking over a large display of bouncing balls Gru decided not to reward her with anything.

He wasn't exactly thrilled that he had to apologize a thousand times to the manager and the associates who were slipping over the rubber balls while they cleaned it up. "For display! You know better, Edith."

"Yeah, sure I do."

Her mocking voice had a hint of sarcasm that put Gru on edge. "Dat's it. Grounded for de rest of de night."

"I don't care! Not like you're my dad, you'd just get annoyed and send me back to Miss Hattie's anyway."

The other two girls looked a bit shocked at Edith's outburst, but kept quiet. Lucy glanced over at Gru, likely to try and calm him down but it wasn't going to happen. He looked livid, but Lucy knew that likely hurt him more than he'd admit. "I.. I wouldn't do dat. No more outta you. Room as soon as we get home."

Dead silence spread in the car and remained between the Gru family until they were all filing into their home. "I'll be in de lab." Gru muttered to his wife, disappearing down the hallway. Lucy helped Agnes with her new stuffed toys up to the girl's room, Edith following behind.

Lucy watched with a frown as Edith climbed up into her bed, just rolling over to put her back to the door. "You okay there honey?"

"Yeah."

She wasn't but Lucy wasn't going to push her. Instead she looked down to Agnes and smiled. "Let's go set up Margo's new game."

* * *

Gru walked back into the living room after about an hour of being in his lab, feeling a bit clearer headed about everything that had happened. Two of his girls were playing the new game Margo picked out while Lucy was cheering them on behind. When her eyes caught Gru walking in she stood up to meet him, a smile on her lips. "Hey, dinner soon?"

"You should cook et sometime." He smirked.

Lucy gave a little pout. "You know how _that_ would turn out."

Gru leaned in to steal a kiss from her before nodding to the hallway. "I'm going to talk with Edith first."

The redhead smiled both from the kiss and his words. "Good luck."

It was quiet in the girl's room which didn't really surprise Gru. He glanced around as the door opened and paused in his spot when he saw Edith sitting on the large pile of pillows set up across the room of the beds. It was a great place for the girls to read, which was exactly what the girl in the pink cap was doing.

She didn't look up from her manga even as Gru entered, in fact she was so engrossed in the story he wondered if she knew he entered. "Which one is dat?" He asked, knowing how she adored the fighting series.

"Naruto." She stated simply, turning a page.

He still had no idea what that meant but tried to seem interested as he pulled over a stool to sit on. "Is dat de one with pirates?"

Edith gave him a deadpan stare over the edge of the book. "That's One Piece." She gave a soft huff as Gru nodded, trying to understand. "What do you want?"

"I… well. To talk." Sometimes these talks were easier with Margo or even Agnes, but with Edith the tone needed to be different. She had a lot more spunk in her than the other girls, a trait that Gru loved about her. "Do you understand why I was upset?"

"Yeah, I messed up again." The manga was closed and Edith crossed her arms, looking almost bored. "Sorry I can't be as perfect as Margo or Agnes."

Gru felt his jaw drop slightly. "What.. come on, dat's not what I meant." Edith looked away from him, her frown increasing. "One, no one is perfect. Two, I don't see it as you 'messing up'. Three… I can't think of a third." He sighed. "You should know better."

The young girl just stared at her own feet, silent. He thought of what she had said and he suddenly felt badly for even punishing her at all. Deep down the girl likely felt jealousy without knowing what it was. "Karate starts again soon." This caused her to glance up. "Did you want to take advanced?"

"You'd let me? You said I was too young."

Gru shrugged. Maybe she was too young, but Edith needed something that was distinctively her own. "I'd say you can handle et."

Her smile made him feel better. "Yeah!" Edith pushed off the pillows, standing in front of him now. "I bet I can reach black belt before anyone else in the class!"

"Pah, you kedding? You'll be de best in no time." He grinned as she giggled, glad to see her happy again. "C'mon down, dat new game looks fun and dinner will be soon."

He stood, pushing the stool back to its spot in their room. "Hey.. I'm sorry."

Her voice made him glance back to Edith, blinking. "For what?"

"For.. you know. Saying you weren't my dad. You are. Like the best one. Sorry about the store too."

Gru knew Edith didn't express feelings much; so for her to say that made him instantly smile. Much to her dismay he moved to scoop her up, kissing her cheek as she shoved her hand in his face. "Hey, stop it!" Despite her words she giggled.

"Forgiven keeten." He set her back down, opening the door of their room. "I'll make mac and cheese, your favorite."


	45. Dancing

_**I've gotten a lot of dancing prompts; I hope this one is good enough! =D**_

_**Dancing**_

"I don't want to answer that."

"Lucy et's got to be decided. By both of us."

"How about we just… skip that part?"

Gru stared at her with a frown, setting down the papers he had in his hands. Across from him at his kitchen table was his fiancé and eldest daughter. Margo had taken it upon herself to help plan the engaged couples wedding and Gru didn't mind it one bit. Lucy wasn't exactly the planning type anyway. For most of the main choices she had helped; but for some reason the first dance song was hard for her to grab onto.

"Lucy we can't skip that." Margo chimed in, smiling at the woman at the table. "It's important!"

"Why is it important?" Gru was surprised to see how defensive Lucy got so quickly. "It's just a dance right?"

"With your husband!" Margo beamed, motioning to Gru.

Lucy glanced to Gru, who tried to give her a smile. Giving a long sigh the woman lowered her head to rest on a magazine filled with cakes and she gave a tiny groan. "I… I've never slow danced before. Ever."

Both with surprised expressions, Gru and Margo went from look to one another to the woman whose head was on the table. Holding back the urge to chuckle, Gru instead reached across and touched Lucy's arm. "Hey, et's fine. Don't worry about et."

Her eyes peeked up to look at him. "Yeah?"

Nodding he just pushed the papers he was working on aside and motioned to the magazine she was resting on. "Let's just focus on de cake for now."

* * *

It was past the girl's bedtime by the time Lucy got to Gru's home a few days later. It had been a very long day at work for her, but she was thankful in just a few weeks she'd have loads of time off for her honeymoon. That simple thought of being on her honeymoon reminded her that soon would be her wedding. And that meant living at Gru's, being Gru's wife. A sudden flutter in her stomach made its way up to her chest and for a moment she couldn't get a silly grin off her face. While she shut the door quietly behind her she almost jumped when she heard Gru's voice.

"Welcome home."

Lucy felt her skin grow warm and she wasn't sure why. Likely due to the fact she was just thinking of how she'd be his wife and he welcomed her home like she was already moved in. "Thanks sweetie." He was in his usual pants and sweater, standing in the hallway with his arms behind his back. Lucy took a moment to remove her coat and hang it up and then walked to him. "Girls asleep?"

Gru nodded. "I have something for you." Quietly he took her hand.

After a few silent minutes the pair was walking down one of the hallways of his lab, deep under his house. Lucy had been down below countless times before but she still had a difficult time remembering where certain areas were. To her surprise Gru led her to a room where it was almost completely dark, until he hit a switch.

A wooden dance floor was set up in the center of the room and almost instantly a soft music started to play. While she appreciated the sentiment and loved how he thought of everything; including the dim low lighting, Lucy got instantly nervous. His hand pulled her to the floor, speaking quietly as he did. "Let's work on dis."

"Gru, I.." One perk was his hand resting on her hip, which did help with some nerves. "I really don't think I can."

"Yes you can." The tone of the music was soft, the melody something simple and generic; some sort of jazz. His hand slipped further up her side as he held her closer, his left hand ushering her right up and out. "Simple steps to start, alright?"

Lucy glanced down for a second as his feet started to move, almost tripping over her other foot. "Pah." She muttered, ignoring his slight snicker. "Am I supposed to move the other foot first? This is hard."

"Rule one!" His hand urged her upright. "No looking at your feet."

Emerald eyes rested on his as she just huffed. "That'll end in tragedy."

"Focus on me, alright?" He had that cute smile that just made Lucy want to kiss him. Focusing on that would be easy enough. Before she knew it he took another step, leading her back. To her surprise she actually managed to move the correct foot; only to slip the other one in the opposite direction. Almost falling this time she was thankful Gru held her close enough to steady her body. "Dat was good!"

"Good? I almost went down kamikaze style."

Gru chuckled at her comment, before leaning in closer. His tone lowered. "Do what I said before. On me."

Once more her eyes focused on him like he wanted her to do; growing lost for a moment of the emotion behind them. Gru wasn't doing this just for her; he really wanted to dance with her on their wedding day. That simple realization made her a bit more determined, so with a soft nod and breath, Lucy gave him a bright smile.

It took about twenty minutes of heel kicking and toe smashing to get the simple footwork down, but soon enough Lucy was keeping up with the rhythm and his steps. The music seemed to be endless but it was so soothing at the same time that Lucy didn't want it to. "You are a good teacher." She managed to say, still a bit overwhelmed that Gru had it in him to set this up.

"You just pick up things well." He gave her that smile again. So this time she did exactly what she wanted to before and tilted her head to catch his lips with her own. Unsure if it was because they were kissing or dancing, but Gru pulled her even closer after that.

After a few lingering seconds with her lips close to his Lucy drew away only far enough to whisper. "I think we should head upstairs. You can teach me more later."


	46. Found Out

_**Found Out**_

Silas had never in his sixty plus years seen a pair of happier, beat up people. His life at the AVL had been a whirlwind of learning, teaching and jumping up the ranks until he was rewarded to be Director. But in his years of service he never thought he'd come across an agent like Lucy Wilde. She was standing next to the notorious ex villan who was now their lead villain-authority, who often helped Lucy on the field. The past year of her growing in the AVL flashed before his eyes as Ramsbottom just shook his head slowly. "You two look a mess."

"So what! We caught him!" Lucy beamed, almost bouncing in her spot. She was often so bubbly Silas inwardly wondered if her mother had been such a way. It had been a long run with Lucy in the AVL and every time she did return from a mission he was glad to see her in one piece.

After all, he did have sort of feeling to keep her safe, no matter how hard he tried to fight it. After learning of her history he took it partially upon himself to watch over her. Even if she didn't quite make it easy. "Yes, you did." Sighing, he was at least glad to see the woman alive. "Good work Agent Wilde. With tenacity like that, you'll be up in the ranks in no time."

"Thank you sir." She did generally seem pleased, but Silas frowned as she slapped the man named Gru on the back. "But you gotta hand it to Gru here. Man was fierce, like a tiger."

"I wouldn't say dat but…" He had a grin that Silas didn't like. Gru was an ex villain. Men like him were the reason Silas had even got into the league, taking what they wanted, risking the lives of other people. Or in Gru's case, taking something that belonged to the world.

Lucy was enamored with him and her boss wasn't sure why. The pair was good as partners; he had to give them that. But Silas still didn't exactly trust Gru. "Fine. Good work, Mister Gru."

Having his fill of seeing them act buddy-buddy the man waved his hand. "You two are dismissed. See you in the morning."

"Oh we may be a few minutes late, picking up Gru and all." Lucy chimed in with her sing-song voice, making Silas frown further.

"Just try and get here on time, Agent Wilde."

"Well you won't let Gru drive here so I am kinda stuck with getting here-"

"Just get here. As soon as you can, then."

Lucy nodded, giving Silas a wave before turning on her heel. Ramsbottom stared at Gru as the ex-villain gave a shrug, following behind the redheaded agent. That unease spread through the older man, but did his best to dismiss it while he went to finish the paperwork needed.

It must have been an hour later by the time Ramsbottom finished up and headed to the parking garage where his car would be waiting to take him home. Most nights he had a driver but on these rare occasions he just enjoyed the silence of being alone.

There was an echo of music playing which wasn't exactly an oddity in the parking garage. It sounded vaguely like an old type of music, which made the man smile as memories flooded his mind. Certain times came to him, when singers like Frank Sinatra were always on his record player. It was a welcome escape as he wandered the garage to his car.

It was in the corner of his eye he spotted something familiar and surprising. Lucy Wilde's car had not yet left which should have been gone some time ago after he dismissed her. When the reality of the situation set into mind he noticed the music was coming from her vehicle. Instinct kicked in and the old agent approached with a soft step.

Horrible things flashed in his mind, such as the woman being taken hostage or that damned Gru doing something to her, or worse. When he came ever closer to the small blue car he readied himself to take his trusted pistol from his holster, but when Silas saw what he saw in her backseat… he knew exactly what could have been worse.

Two very passionate adults were making out, so to speak. The agent named Lucy was straddled across the lap of the person Silas openly loathed and for what seemed to be the longest minute in existence Ramsbottom just couldn't even think of what to say. At least they still had clothes on, but Silas had the feeling that seeing how scarves and coats were gone, soon enough other articles would be too.

Finally his knuckles tapped on the glass window and he could hear a tiny gasp from the woman inside. Eyes looked to him, two pairs. Silas just shook his head, making a motion with his hand to roll down the window. Lucy scrambled off Gru's lap and inched to the window, putting on the best, not as awkward as this really was smile.

As soon as it was down a few inches, Silas spoke up over the crooning jazz singer. "Agent Wilde. What have I told you about fraternizing at work?"

"Not to. But this isn't exactly work." She tried to shrug this off.

Silas ignored Gru's confused expression, "Wait does dat mean-"

"Gru, not the time." Lucy cut him off. She unlocked her car door and pushed the seat up so she could exit. Silas took a step back, trying not to make note that she was missing a shoe. "So yeah, technically we are not at work so..."

Ramsbottom glanced in the car, Gru was slipping his coat back on with a darkness in his cheeks. Silas wasn't much older than the two so it wasn't that he didn't understand the thrill of moments like this; he just knew how flings ended. "While I am not going to butt in on your personal lives… I won't allow personal lives to be displayed in the open."

"Yes sir." She did look embarrassed, which was almost unheard of with her.

"Is this…" Silas stared at her face, trying to read her expressions. "..a dalliance?"

"No sir.." Deep down, he wished she didn't look so sure about that. "This is kinda serious."

Taking a deep breath, the man turned. "No more of this business at work. Go home." Ramsbottom walked off to find his car, knowing that the image he just saw would be forever imbedded in his brain.

Lucy Wilde watched him walk away, feeling a bit despondent. The worry that she had disappointed him crossed her mind, but it was gone as she heard Gru. "Dat could have gone worse."

"You're right." She moved to the driver's side and jumped in the seat. Gru remained in the backseat, leaning forward enough to glance at her face. "He could have fired me."

"Or walked up ten minutes later." Despite herself, Lucy giggled and started the engine.


	47. Undercover

**_Undercover _**

_"I really… really don't think dis is a good plan."_

"Do you have a better one, hm?" Lucy Wilde was staring at a large tank, the tropical fish inside of it putting on a colorful display. It was the local aquarium where her next mission would come into play, an undercover plot to sabotage a repeat villain that had been lurking his head around the city once more. She dressed the part, wearing a new white dress with her usual scarf, red hair hung loosely to her shoulders.

_"How about me going in with fists raised?"_ In her ear her partner and boyfriend rolled into one was speaking, via a tiny earpiece made to be unseen. The frequency was low, so it wasn't very loud but it was strong enough to pick up the sounds and voices around her. Shaking her head, Lucy felt badly for a moment that Gru had to wait outside in an undercover van but this was just too important.

Plus the past history behind Gru and this particular villain was just too much liability. "You can't and you know it." She whispered, making her way to a different part of the brightly lit aquarium. The hues of blues were as diverse as the people around her; crowding around the main attraction.

While she knew what she was looking for, she was still a bit surprised as she caught the glance of a nearby spectator. Gru had described him to her and while she thought some of his words were just exaggerations, it turned out he was right about a few. Including the fact that the man had an outfit of bright orange, which looked closer to pajamas than the track suit it was.

He caught her eye and she started her role beautifully, fluttering her eyes and shyly looking over at the large glass window that displayed a few sharks just casually swimming in their home. Lucy Wilde was not going to let this opportunity get away from her, so she even pushed back some of her hair from her shoulder, the whole image complete.

Knowing it would happen, she just waited. Soon enough the man was at her side, his shorter form not a real surprise. After all, she wore three inch heels in this setup and her usual height was taller than most men she knew. It worked, however. The villain was eyeing her in a way that made her know she had already won.

"Name's Vector, sweetheart." He tried to come across as cool, collected. She had to hold back herself from laughing at the way he tilted his head.

"Oh.." She may have sounded a little extra ditzy then originally intended, but it would work. "My name's Lisa Pride.."

"_Lisa Pride? Seriously? What are you… _trying _to sound like a prostitute?"_

With Gru speaking in her ear she tried to play off collected, which wasn't so hard. But his words did hit a level that she didn't like. Vector moved to in front of her, leaning back on the glass that was holding back the pressure of hundreds of gallons of water and the hulking fish with many, many teeth. "I take it you like sharks?"

Lucy put on her best smirk, her fingers curling together in front of her as she kept on the appearance of generally checking the man out. "They are fascinating… so much power and yet they are so unappreciated."

For a second Lucy ignored the sound of Gru's agitated moans in her ear. "You're right about that, doll face." He looked sure of himself, this Vector. Even if he was a bit younger than her, he didn't seem to notice or care. Pushing off the glass he inched closer; that cocky attitude of his taking over. "So let me get right down to the point here." He rolled his eyebrows. "Wanna come over and see my piranha gun?"

Loud yells in Russian almost made Lucy deaf in one ear. It almost hurt, making the redness in her cheeks genuine. Holding onto her role she gave a wink to the shorter man, taking a pen from her purse. She used her body language appropriately, her hands slipping out to take one of his and as she wrote a phone number on his skin. At the angle, she knew he was getting a good view of her low cut dress and dipping back.

"Text me your address, cutie. I'll be there at seven, sharp." Straightening, Lucy offered him a wink, which she knew was the cause of his awkward chuckle.

_"I swear, if you start whispering sweet nothings in his ear I'm going to lose it."_

It was almost too much to handle, listening to Gru and keeping up appearances. "Oh you'll get it, and then some." Vector grinned, openly checking her out once more. It didn't bother her, how he leered. What was really frustrating was how her boyfriend was flipping out.

Her smirk remained as the woman leaned in even closer, her hand coming to rest on Vector's chest. "Can't wait. Ready yourself, big guy. See you then." With her final words she turned and slowly headed away from him. She felt his eyes on her as she exited the area, keeping her act up to the fullest. Only when she was sure no one was around her that would be suspicious she whispered; "Gru stop freaking out."

_"You have no idea how much I want to throttle dat guy."_

"I get it, but this is important. Rumor is he stole a weapon that can put most land mass underwater."

_"I know but if he says one more thing dat I don't like-"_

"You'll deal with it."

Once Lucy was outside, she walked down a block to the van, the time taking much longer because she was in such high heels. One more final glance around the surrounding area and she opened the back hatch, slipping inside with a grace befitting her training. The piece in her ear was removed as the person she had been conversing with was now sitting in front of her.

His expression was filled with anger, she knew. "Dis is torment, you know."

Part of her wondered if he meant that due to him having being locked in the van while she did the work, or that he had to see her flirt and act like something she wasn't. "I know. But just try and stick it out."

"Give me one, solid reason why I shouldn't go in dere and kick dat little brat's face in."

"Because if you get me fired Felonious Gru, we are done!" Crossing her arms, she gave him a strong glare. It would happen, if Gru broke cover and stormed the place. Lucy could easily get fired or worse.

However, the look on his face was borderline heartbreaking. There was more to this than just her being flirtatious and she knew it. But he had to know the seriousness of the situation. Slowly his hand rubbed his temple, sliding down his face until he cupped his chin in his palm. Silence filled the van as Lucy came closer and sat down on the opposite chair, looking to a monitor screen.

Sure enough the fake number had received the text with his address, which was needed as he had moved his fortress to another secure location that Gru didn't know about. This little victory made her smile, fist pumping in the air. "Yes! Got it, ha! Sending to Silas now."

Her fingers typed something on the keyboard provided. While she did this Gru leaned forward more, almost groaning before speaking up. "I'm.. I'm sorry."

Blinking in surprise Lucy glanced to him. He really wasn't one to just freely apologize so she knew that was a big deal right there. Quickly she hit the send button and inched the chair closer to him, her hand reaching out to try and take his. "Gru. It's okay. Don't sweat it, okay?"

He glanced to her. In some weird way Lucy could almost understand his feelings, the guy wasn't always confident and to have the girl he loved flirting with someone else likely just took a major blow to his ego. It also didn't help that it was Vector, the creep who stole the girls from him. Trying to lighten the mood, she stood and moved to sit on his lap, pecking his cheek as his hand silently slipped around her waist.

"Lisa Pride could be fun to play later, you know."

He smiled at this, but shook his head. "I prefer Lucy."

* * *

_**I've been given some Vector prompts but truthfully, I am not a fan of him xD But after some help from **_ _**crazytiny we came up with Lucy going undercover to get info from him. It was fun to write, after a while. :D Also aaaaaah Grucy moments galore! **_


	48. Coffee

**AN: Sorry been so lax with updating! Don't worry, I still love these stories. ^.^**

**Coffee**

"No I don't think it's weird."

"It's totally weird!" Lucy leaned in a bit, chuckling softly as her partner and date seemed to flush at her words. "I mean… a cardboard box? That's the best you could come up with as a helmet?"

"Vat do you expect I was eight!" Gru rushed his words, ready to defend himself. Lucy watched him with her tiny smirk growing, loving his reaction. "Not like et was weird though…"

The redhead tugged on his hand that was comfortably held in hers. "Partner, I'm teasing. I bet it was flippin' adorable."

Gru gave her a pressed smile, the low light of the half-moon making it barely visible. The pair was on their fourth date, a simple dinner and a walk around Lucy's side of town. With talks of their younger selves Lucy was surprised when they already arrived in front of the small apartment she called home.

Gru noticed, pausing in his step. Like other dates, he'd say his goodnight and walk her to the door. But Lucy was just curious about one thing; "Did you want to come up for some coffee?"

It's amazing how a mind can presume a million different ideas and things all in the blink of an eye. "Oh.." Gru started. What did she mean by coffee? Was this the code that he had heard of? Like in movies or shows, this was an invite for more wasn't it?

Gru shifted just barely in his stance, glancing from Lucy's inquiring eyes to the stairs close by. Just up one flight and he'd be at her door. Lucy was implying her move, wasn't she? Gru had seen enough Sex in the City episodes to know where this was going…

"Gru?" Her sweet voice reminded him of his baring's. He looked back to her, trying to put on a charming grin.

"Coffee vould be great."

This was his first time in her apartment. The woman had a feng shui all her own; but he didn't take much time to study the fine detail work in the paintings in the hallway. Gru was completely engrossed in the idea that Lucy had just invited him up for coffee and all he could think about was if he brought the right protection in his wallet.

"Eh, sorry about things being a little out of place." Lucy spoke, her hands moving to let her purse and keys rest on a side table. The door was shut- Gru knew there was no escape.

Not that he wanted an escape! Lucy was beautiful. Being around her made him smile in a new way entirely, sure he had been happy when he adopted the girls but now…

"Hey, no big deal." He shrugged, playing it off coolly. _Yeah, be smooth Gru_. "With three gurls you learn to appreciate more den a clean house."

Her smile was so sweet. "That's a good way to view it. C'mon. Kitchen's in here."

Wasn't that the pick-up line? The start of this romp? Lucy disappeared in a room down the hall, the light flooding the dark apartment as she hit the switch. Gru felt himself stuck in his spot. He wasn't used to this, dating, being invited up and the casual aspect of intimacy. He felt the back of his neck turn red as all he could start thinking about was how Lucy was going to want him to stay. While he cared about her- this wasn't all he wanted.

"Lucy.." He walked to the doorway, glancing inside. "I don't think dis is a good idea…"

Her face turned away from the stove to look at him. The stove was turned on, the kettle resting on the burner with a small thud. She looked as confused as he was. "..um, do what? Also is instant okay? I had a coffee machine once but it kinda short circuit on me and I had to get rid of it.."

His expression must have worried her. "Or would you want something without caffeine? I have some tea.. oh that has it too.." Her hand went to the cabinet; opening it up. "Green tea doesn't have much! Oh I forgot I had some chai.."

Relief swept over him. Lucy didn't want anything more than exactly what she said. Coffee. With him. He suddenly also started to feel ashamed for thinking something else entirely. Biting back all the emotions filling up inside of him the bald man just shook his head. "Coffee is fine!"

The redhead smiled and set up the mugs, her voice sounding excited. "So tell me again, you built an actual _working_ rocket when you were nine?"

His pride kicked in. "Dat's right!" Gru moved to a seat, leaning back as he spoke. "Got to the highest level of de stratosphere before coming back down!"

Lucy turned with her hip resting on her counter. The water would take a few minutes to boil so she instead put her focus on him. "Where did it land?"

"Eh.." Pride diminished he instead put on a sheepish smile. "..Somewhere dat is no longer around now."

"Implying either you blew it up with that rocket or it was torn down over the years.." Her lips curled in a smirk; a tiny one that actually had Gru feel a little flushed.

"Let's not lose sight of de real picture!" The man grinned back, waving his hand while the other tucked under his arm. "Gru, de mastermind at nine."

Her laughter rang in the kitchen which sounded more like soft bells than anything to Gru. Maybe next time if she did offer him inside it would be different. But for now this was a perfect fourth date.


End file.
